Across The Brooklyn Bridge
by mayfair22
Summary: "Had I loved you any lesser, I would be able to talk about it more..." Dan and Blair at NYU and throw in an unlikely alliance of sorts... Slightly based on Jane Austen's Emma.
1. Chapter 1

AN- This is the first time I'm trying my hand at Gossip Girl fanfiction just because I've become so obsessed with the show! As for the pairing Dan and Blair, Well…I have a mixed opinion, I love their moments together but ultimately Blair and Chuck are meant to be …But hey! A onetime hook up and a lasting friendship would not hurt anyone

_. But this is fanfiction and I'm all for taking its advantage!_

_bsloths is the best beta in the world and I'm very grateful to her._

_And yeah this is set somewhere at the beginning of Season three with slight alterations like Blair being single at the moment…_

* * *

Blair Waldorf sweeps an uninterested glance at what is now to be her English Literature Class. A greasy haired boy across from her looks up with interest and she is about to snort with disgust only to realize that he is actually looking past her shoulder.

Nope, no one she remotely recognizes, which is basically all cool considering when did she know anyone anyway? Not even on the Upper East Side. The norm is that everyone just knows Blair Waldorf. So no! Her lack of acquaintances is hardly the point where the universe tumbles. The tiny, miniscule, _unimportant_ fact that irritates her probably as much as a non-compromising sneeze would is that what she gets in return here are equally disinterested glances…

Except of course him. She knows him and he knows her but it isn't like she has to talk to him now…He was _what_now? Her best friend's ex boy friend? Her ex boyfriend's good friend? Her other ex boyfriend had once cheated on her with his best friend?…Whatever. This was not UES anymore and she could do without the permutation and combination her social/love life had once been.

She therefore pointedly ignores Dan Humphrey's little wave and noisily settles into a bench, paying a total of another twenty five seconds to decide that nothing here is worth her attention or time. Not even the schedule in her hand spelling out who was it that a class 30-odd students were waiting for-Rick Clampton. _Hmmmm_The faculty here better be worth her losing Yale…Yale. _Sigh._The dreams of an Ivy League!

And as if on cue, "Friends, Romans and countrymen lend me your ears, I'm here…" the new entrant pauses dramatically, "apparently to receive rolled eyes."

The class breaks into a nervous chuckle as the cheap but very chiseled imitation of Marc Anthony in a classy grey blazer settles behind the desk, "Hi!" he smiles and she finds herself smiling back at its crookedness, "Ignore my dramatic entrance, I'm Rick Clampton, your professor for the wonders of English Literature."

And as each husky word in crisp British accent washes over her, the former Queen B of Constance Billard decides that perhaps coming to NYU could have its high points after all.

* * *

He catches up with her just as her red Christian Louboutins turn the corner, "Waldorf. Wait up."

"Patch." Blair nods briefly even though she does not as much as pause to acknowledge him.

Dan looks at her in confusion. Really? He wasn't a big fan of her either but she had actually forgotten his _name_?

"Dan." He corrects automatically. "Humphrey. Dan Humphrey."

She looks at him in boredom, "Patch. Cabbage Patch." And she is off; giving him not more than a second to take in that she is after all referring to him.

He stops her this time, sliding in front of her, "Hey…" he begins.

"Look!" she stops him midsentence, "I know you want to be friends now or something considering that we are stuck here together." His eyes narrow into tiny slits as he just pushes his weight onto one leg._This,_ he needs to hear. "And you probably need me to find your footing here but the answer is no. You and I don't mix. Good bye."

He is chuckling long after she leaves because years at St. Judes have taught him one thing if nothing else. There is a world outside its red brick walls. A world where the rules were usually altered around and if Blair Waldorf chose to continue to live in her White Bread World then NYU would get a tad bit more interesting than he anticipated it to be.

* * *

It takes him another four days to figure out where her room is; incidentally it's just down the hall from Vanessa's and he cringes at the fact that even the simple task of seeing his best friend slash we -should -definitely –have-sex-friend is going to be a constant reminder of a promise he had foolishly made to Nate and had been threatened into by Serena.

You see, our reluctant knight in shining armor had an even more reluctant damsel in distress to watch over. Her friends knew that NYU was definitely not what Blair wanted and had even anticipated that NYU may not want her either. And rightly so. For all that he had heard and witnessed a few times was that Blair somehow had accidentally slotted herself in a class a notch above an outcast. In Steps Dan Humphrey! A duty he regrets ever taking up considering his first attempt had totally gone down the drain by her conveniently reversing their duties.

Figures! He hates her guts and here he is with his knuckles poised to knock on her door.

"Patch?" she opens her door. "What?"

Okay, so they were going to stick with the Doll names. So be it…He just had to see if she was okay and all and then he could be out of here. "Hey! Waldorf."

She has a silly looking hair band on and he wonders what it was with her wanting to dress like she was on her way to a Bass brunch all the time. And gloves. Oh! God! The gloves!

"Are you going out somewhere?"

"Yes, if you must know," she says crisply, drawing the door to a close as she speaks, "I have a," he can't help but notice her nose crunching up a little, "a Sabbath dinner to attend."

And of what he remembers of The Passover Dinner last year, her step-father's Jewish holidays were hardly her idea of a Friday night. And God help him but he knows what it feels like to be an outsider.

It's therefore nothing more than an act bought out by duty and perhaps a bit of the same kindness which had once obligated him to sit beside her and spill out his family issues that he invites her to a party that evening.

What is surprising though is that she actually looks thankful.

* * *

But of course she arrives in a Limo and he has to encourage her to pay compliments to other people(A bit more genuinely for a change). It isn't easy and it is definitely not enjoyable but it could well be categorized into the first of many moments Gossip Girl would probably slot under the file of 'What not do while crossing the Brooklyn Bridge.'

* * *

_AN: I have a story idea which is based loosely on Jane Austen's Emma, because really who better fits that shoe than our very own Blair..._

_So how was it? Do review._


	2. Chapter 2

_AN- Don't all of you just hate exams? They take away all the precious time one can utilize in writing fanfiction. :) __ Really tough couple of entrance exams and I write this while awaiting results. So blame any mistakes to a very jittery heart._

_Oh! And did I mention that I absolutely adore my beta-bsloths? That girl always finds time from her busy schedule to make right all the childish grammatical mistakes I make. _

_And also from now onwards this story is going to get more and more AU and more and more Emma like. Even though I plan not to simply pick up scenes from the book, there will be now introductions of new characters from the book._

_

* * *

_

The cosmos are definitely conspiring against her.

Like right now the stupid sun is all set to dazzle her to blindness as it peeks at her from the side windows. Couldn't it simply keep out of her way for a day or two? If it isn't bad enough that her head aches in places she doesn't even know exist; a throbbing pain which just seems to grow with every passing pulse, but to think that she almost missed her English class! Blair never, make that _never_ misses Rick Clampton's class.

She shakes her head in despair, a very bad move though as the contents of last night just gear up to slip all out. She has never been sick before! Yeah, okay so there was that occasional bout of Bulimia, but the common placed deals of head colds and throat aches and allergies! Never.

But of course it takes NYU and its miserable little germs to get her feeling like a walking disaster…

And then there was Serena!

Her yet again estranged friend had decided to use her 'best friend' cue card last night, an unexpected call which had easily run into a tell all tale of the disaster in making that was Serena and Carter. The night had grown longer as Serena kept trying to decide and Blair kept trying to keep up.

And then in her hurry to get to class this morning she had bumped into Vanessa Abrams. She is officially putting this down as her worst day at NYU.

It finally takes a Cliff Richard smile from a certain professor to make her head stop spinning and her heart soaring.

* * *

Two steps above her Dan Humphrey watches the exchange between the model-turned-professor and Blair with a mixture of amusement and worry and even though the chances of the balance being tipped slightly more towards amusement are exceptionally high, he nevertheless has a slight crease between his forehead.

He knows what it is to crush on a teacher, okay so he knows what it is to more than just crush on a teacher and in spite of the hype associated with it, it may not have been the smartest move he has made.

And he knows now that it definitely isn't the smartest move Blair is making. For one, the guy looks like he spent considerable amount of time getting his eyebrows shaped just right and secondly, fraternizing with the faculty was hardly going to help Blair up her popularity charts. This wasn't high school after all!

He laughs aloud as she sits up a little straighter and flips her hair to one side. Oh God! The poor girl had it bad.

* * *

"Waldorf!" he has by now mastered the art of sliding in front of her to catch her attention.

"Patch? It's you." She looks at him with disdain, "again." But there is something more off putting about her. Her eyes are puffy with lack of sleep and her nose and cheeks have a pinkish, flushed tinge to them making her look nothing more than fifteen. The girl almost looks adorable. Ummm, scratch that, she just looks _ill. _

"Are you sick?" he isn't sure if her health is also a part of mission 'Save the Queen. Save the University,' but considering she looks almost as old as Jenny did until recently he can't help the protective urges from kicking.

"Of you? Of NYU? Yes."

He ignores her quip and is about to press more only to realize that she has dodged past him and is well on her way out.

"Working our way down the social ladder, are we?" He calls after her and _that _like he knew it would, catches her attention. She stops in her tracks and turns around slowly, taking a good look in both directions to check if someone is listening. In two quick steps she is standing nose to nose with him and Dan has to keep himself from sniffing in the sudden cherry filled air.

"What are you talking about?" she hisses.

"Nate Archibald, Chuck Bass and now…" he quirks up an eyebrow, "and now Richard Clampton?"

"Wh…How?..." She looks livid and scary and yet he can swear that he has never had this much fun around Blair Waldorf before.

He simply shrugs at her, "it's really simple you know. I know a few students from your other classes and of what I hear you have hardly attended a class all week and yet", he pauses dramatically before continuing lazily, "I see you in English every day."

Blair blinks at him just once and he has to give it to her for keeping an impassive expression, "Your point being?"

And in what is the first ever Dan Humphrey smirk, he tells her, "My point, Blair, is that I know that you don't even know anyone else's name in this class so unless it's your love for the English language my guess is that if you're not here for the teacher," he grins down at her before continuing with an absolute look of horror on his face, "then you're here for me."

Blair's expression is a mix between a disbelieving gasp and an annoyed frown. She hovers over a clever line to retort before simply turning around and leaving. Dan Humphrey trying to act _cute _is the creepiest thing she has ever come across.

* * *

He is now standing outside her door and she is just about to issue a restraining order when he thrusts a coffee cup in her hand.

She looks down at the styrofoam cup in her hand and then looks up at him; he in turn just shrugs again, "It's the best coffee on campus."

Blair has never had coffee in a styrofoam cup before, to come to think of it she isn't much of a coffee drinker either but something about the hopeful, apologetic way Dan is looking at her makes her take a quick sip. The caffeine automatically helps to sooth the ache in her head.

However, when he simply just stands there and refuses to budge from her doorway she starts to tap her foot impatiently. Isn't he done for the day with his good will crap?

"I have something else for you," he finally lets on, taking out a stack of brochures from that horrible clay colored bag he always carries. There are notices for auditions for a 'Taming of the Shrew' adaptation.

"You want me to audition for a play?" she asks incredulously and he reminds her that they did manage a pretty cool act with 'The Age of Innocence', so why not?

And really, _why not_?

"Besides," he continues, "you would totally suit the part." He ignores her eye roll at the predictable insult, "plus it would be a great way to make some actual friends." He finishes quietly.

This is it. She has had it with Dan Humphrey and his Brooklyn bound concern. So she did take his help to adjust to a college party but how dare he suggest that she does not have friends? The coffee in her hand is about to land on his face when he rambles on, "This isn't Constance Blair and I guess you may miss the hoard of ladies in waiting you are so used to …I just think it's time you actually made an effort to …"

He is stopped short by an ear piercing screech from his right, "OMG! Blair is that you….Oh God! I can't believe it. Blair Waldorf at NYU. At the school I go to. How cool is that?"

Blair throws a pointed glare in Dan's direction before turning around to greet the strawberry blonde girl. This is the first time someone recognizes her at this place and she plans to make full use of it.

* * *

_AN- So? What do you guys think? Review?_


	3. Chapter 3

_AN- For all of you who are bigger Jane Austen fans than that of Gossip Girl (Like I am), I apologize in advance. I'm not sure but you may feel that the story is going too fast (or too slow) as compared to Austen's master piece. But my only consolation is that this is in fact a Gossip Girl fanfiction and I have to keep true to its characters…Take time for Dan and Blair to function together and yet push the story forward._

_That being said, I do hope you enjoy this chapter and a big thank you to bsloths._

_

* * *

_

He silently observes as Nate continues to smile at the blonde girl across the counter. The girl in turn blushes a deep red and distractedly slips an unusual amount of maple syrup into her coffee. He isn't too surprised; Nate just seems to have this kind of effect on women….He was like a Serena with test…osterone.

Nate chuckles as the helpless waitress looks at the cup in hand with a horrified expression. He turns around finally to glance at Dan, "Sorry. What were you talking about again?"

"Richard Clampton." Dan mutters half heartedly as his blue eyed companion gets easily distracted once more.

Sure, they are close friends now but he somehow just can't keep from wondering what he's doing here…at the other side of town, taking a coffee break with New York's own golden boy, trying desperately to get across to him that Richard Clampton knew next to nil about Victorian Literature.

Because really who in their right minds does not believe that Oscar Wilde was an absolute narcissist? Hell! Dorian Grey was the prime example of hedonism in that era and yet _Dear Ricky_would just not see the connection.

"So, your English professor is a narcissist?" Nate asks.

"He could well be one but no, what I'm saying is that Oscar Wilde _was_a narcissist. He died in 1900." Dan explains tiredly, "Seriously Archibald. You have no idea what I'm talking about. Do you?"

Nate looks at him apologetically, making Dan ridden with guilt. It wasn't Nate's fault that Clampton was a stuck up male model and that it worried him sick every time Blair giggled uncharacteristically whenever Clampton as much as brushed past her during the rehearsals of 'Taming of The Shrew'.

The thing is that Dan prides himself for being somewhat of a responsible guy, what with a girl like Jenny for a younger sister, Serena as an ex girlfriend; so and on and so forth. So, it's impossible for him not to worry when Waldorf lands the lead for the play at a drop of a hat and rumours of her loaning the professor a few _favours_ start to draw the circles. It doesn't help when he starts to imagine what would happen if Gossip Girl decides to make a heavy comeback with that blast. Worse, he fears that he would not live to see the next day if Serena hears about this while he was supposed to play Keeper to Waldorf.

When and how did he get stuck in this position?

He bites his lip in anxiety as Nate excuses himself to exchange numbers with the blonde. What if Blair was actually fancying herself in love with that joke of a professor? How was he supposed to handle that?

* * *

And then there is Charlotte…

Charlotte Wilkins as Blair finds out is an asset in more ways than one.

For one the girl dotes on Blair the way even Constance never had. She is new, awkward, dumb to a 'T', has orange hair and probably shops at a flea market, but there is something about her…ummm… well,_roughness_ that makes Blair take pity on her.

In any case she hasn't been able to attend too many charity functions since she moved to NYU, thanks to her conviction to avoid a certain Bass and every now and then one needs a Jenny Humphrey sans the bitchiness to pass time.

It's also probably good for the soul or something.

"You really think this would suit me?" Charlotte asks looking at herself at the mirror suspiciously.

Blair grimaces at her reflection. Charlotte looks absolutely ridiculous and she really wouldn't have loaned her the dress but she just kept fawning endlessly at it. It wasn't much of a choice.

"Yeah…Well…The colour is …"

"Absolutely gorgeous. Oh! Blair, an Eleanor original. Thank you so much."

Blair however is saved from saying anything by a knock on the door.

Dan shoves the coffee in her hand, which in its own way has become synonymous with a hello.

She takes it without a word, moving a bit to the side to allow him to peer past her shoulder.

"Hi! Charl…" he begins as his eyes widen in shock. He looks questioningly at Blair who simply shrugs in response.

"Oh! Hello Dan," Charlotte chirps, "would love to stay and chat but I have to go pick up Blair's dry cleaning." She bustles around the room like a ball of energy pausing just long enough to thank Blair for the dress once more.

"You going to let her go out looking like _that_?" he asks under his breath as Charlotte breezes out.

"Didn't have a choice. She loved the dress so much I just had to give it to her." And his holier than thou attitude bloody well put this down as a deed done well. She looks up at him hopefully, vaguely disgusted that she is actually waiting for Dan Humphrey's approval.

"But it's parrot green! And she has orange hair and I might as well not start on the fact that it's probably two sizes too small for her. What were you thinking Waldorf?"

Yeah! Well, so much for being nice. "And you would know about fashion because of your amazing taste in clothes."

Dan automatically looks down at his grey flannels, which frankly weren't that bad but whatever; she ignores him as he continues to say something about how Charlotte would turn into another Lil' J if she continued to take advantage of her fan girl fanatics.

"Oh! Please Patch. I'm no Frankenstein. Jenny's callousness is probably in her genes." She takes another sip of the awesome coffee in her hand. She has to give it to Brooklyn Boy for knowing his caffeine, "and it's from my closet. I'm doing her a favour here if you haven't noticed."

"Yeah and therefore you have the poor, clueless girl looking like a peacock at a carnival."

She should kill herself for actually smiling at the image his retort constructs.

* * *

At least he bothers to knock.

"Jane Austen? Really?" she throws a glance at his neatly kept study table as she simply barges in. To think if he had been changing or had been in with Olivia, or Vanessa, or both.

"You sound surprised."

And she is. And slightly impressed as well. Somehow he had always come across as a J.R.R Tolkien type of person…But Austen? Romance with a pre Victorian subtlety? A _guy_ who read Austen and admits to it…

There was perhaps still a lot to learn about Cabbage Patch.

"Do you know a Tom Sheppard? Fine arts major."

Dan frowns at her, "Actually I do. We kind of grew up across the street. Why?"

Blair sighs in exasperation and places herself on his bed (without permission. Of course.) "Figures!" She exclaims, "Anyway. I need you to keep him away from Charlotte."

"Charlotte?"

"Yeah. Charlotte Wilkins. About this high," Blair puts up her palm a foot above her own head, "Blue eyes…"

"…Orange hair. Yes I remember. What I mean is what has Tom got to do with her?"

"Something apparently." It was only this morning that a very excited, close to hyperventilating Charlotte had announced to her that she had been invited by this…Tom for an art exhibition _downtown._

Humphrey of course does not understand the dire implications, "He has kohled eyes Patch! I cannot be seen with someone who hangs out with someone who grew up in Brooklyn."

Dan raises an eyebrow at her.

"Oh! Your Dad's married into the Van Der Woodsens now. You have officially earned yourself an exception," she explains.

He should be grateful. He thinks.

There is something so off putting about her friendship with Charlotte that he can't seem to put his finger on it. So he'll admit that he had initially encouraged Blair to try and make new friends…But this? Was it because he was scared for the poor clueless girl who knew nothing about the consequences of entering into Blair's lair…Or was it really the other way round?

And now Blair had the girl's social life also being monitored.

"What do you propose?" he asks tiredly and Blair brightens up instantly. He has seen the look before…He had after all lost his moral virginity to her!

* * *

The rest moves exactly in line.

Charlotte is out, picking up Blair's laundry once again while they practice Shakespearean dialogues at her penthouse.

She insists on it. To have more room to dramatize she says. It really doesn't help with the entire role playing though.

"Humphrey! You need to be more dominant with me. You have to _tame_ me remember?"

It would be nice if she wasn't towering over him while she said this though.

Dan yawns from his position at the floor, "Blair. Relax. This isn't the Globe you know. I promise Clampton will still smile at you tomorrow morning."

He waits for her reaction and takes great pleasure in her blush.

But typical to all things relating Richard Clampton, Blair changes the topic, "I was thinking of getting Charlotte to the annual Bass brunch this time."

Dan snorts.

"It'll be a great opportunity for her to meet some _classy _men." She however continues uninterrupted.

And then it happens. The opening cue of a lifetime.

The elevator to her room blinks to announce the arrival of someone. Expecting Dorota, they both are surprised to see a very amused Nate Archibald coming in with Blair's laundry while a clearly injured Charlotte Wilkins holds on to him for support.

"Hey!" Nate greets them. "I ran…like literally _ran _into your friend downstairs. I think she pulled a muscle."

Dan doesn't have to look at Blair's face to know that it has totally lit up. He has learnt to catch her moods and what he can hear now is like the churning of wheels in her brain.

And he doesn't approve. He _really_doesn't approve. Does she not know the mess this would ensue?

He grabs her hand to stop her from the blunder he knows for certain she is about to make. Blair stares down at her arm, at the fingers held tightly around her delicate wrist. She glares up at Dan who seems to be fixated at the contact as well. He lets go immediately.

Instead he urgently whispers, "Please Blair. Not _him._"

* * *

_AN- Yeah, well…So now you know whose playing who. Do let me know if you approve of the idea of Nate as Elton ? All that and every kind of suggestion is welcome. But you'll probably have to review for that?__ ..:)_


	4. Chapter 4

_AN- I'm so sorry for the huge delay, but I just didn't know what to write…Hopefully my longest chapter so far would make up somewhat for it._

_Thanks to bsloths for her never faltering patience with my chapters._

_I have also made a slight change in Chapter 3; earlier there was this paragraph about Clampton paying Dan a bit more than unnecessary attention (I was going the Clueless way). I have deleted that and hope to treat Clampton's character in the similar way as Austen treated Frank Churchill's- it just saves me a lot of plot holes._

* * *

Two years ago if anyone had told him that one day he would be shopping with Blair Waldorf; at 15 Park Avenue no less, he would have told them to go take a hike.

Today, however he was eating his words and foot alike.

"How much longer Waldorf?"

"Will you have patience? This is hard work."

Which it probably was because Blair had been inside that dressing room with Charlotte and several store staff for a good forty five minutes or so; leaving Dan outside to share sympathetic smiles with impatiently waiting boyfriends, husbands and the likes.

Unlike him though, none of them were accomplices in crime.

Yeah. About that. The past week had been a busy one with Blair personally making arrangements for a local bookstore to hold an exclusive comic convention. One, Tom Sheppard, with his graphic art obsession, would not even think about missing. The convention of course was on the very day as the Bass brunch for which Charlotte Wilkins had been appropriately brainwashed to outgrow her Superman crush and look at greener pastures.

Convenient.

But just to make sure that Tom still did not get a chance to have any interactions with Charlotte while Blair took her around on a crash course from everything from holding your wine glass right to picking up several shades of nude to go with that hair and those eyes, Dan hung around excessively with Sheppard, introducing his work to Rufus down at the gallery, taking him for a Yankee game with box seats tickets paid by Blair and Co.

He might as well do the guy some good while at it.

And for last minute pointers both Blair and Dan had gone through copies of "Lacrosse for idiots" so that their little 'Eliza Dolittle –redone' would have something in common with Nate Archibald after all.

So far so good.

"Well?" A very triumphant looking Blair emerges followed closely by Charlotte.

He always knew Waldorf was pretty, beautiful even. But the effect of not _trying_ (which was very rare) did something almost magical to her face. Wisps of brown carelessly framed it as she smiled brilliantly at Charlotte behind her. The soft peach she had chosen to try on adding colour to her already blushing skin.

"Umm…You look…Uh nice Waldorf." He swallows, settling for the mildest adjective he could think of, while the poet in him almost has a verse at hand.

Blair throws him a surprised look, "I was asking about Charlotte, Humphrey," she says with an unmistakable twinkle to her eye.

Damn.

Without losing a beat he turns around to check the taller girl. Oh! What wonders a dress that fitted right and a colour that did not clash with your hair could do to a person.

"I approve." He finishes, however his eyes refuse to leave the way Blair turns around to check herself in the mirror.

"It's really not my colour," she says to no one in particular.

He is about to protest that everything was her colour when Charlotte butts in, "Do you think Nate would like what I'm wearing?"

"There is just one thing though. The hair," he offers after a close inspection bought mostly in an attempt to ignore the amused way Blair is still eyeing him.

"Hair? Why? What's wrong with my hair?"

It's orange! He wants to remind her but Blair throws him a look and instead he turns around kindly towards Charlotte, "Nothing at all. But perhaps a change is in need."

"Yeah." Blair agrees, "Perhaps a nice shade of brown would…"

"Blonde." Dan cuts in.

"Blonde?"

"Blonde? Nate likes blondes?" The question comes from Charlotte but Dan turns around to Blair to answer, "You know Nate likes Blonde. He always has." He reminds her pointedly.

Blair narrows her eyes at him, all the earlier lightheartedness disappearing from them in an instant and he assumes that if it hadn't been for Charlotte and a couple of ladies in waiting in vicinity he would have been slapped. "True. But then he is not the only one who is in love with blondes. Is he?"

She grabs Charlotte by the hand and leads her out; he can however hear her urgently whisper. "C'mon. It's blonde then."

* * *

An hour later, she knows that he has suffered enough. But really, she doesn't care. A girl needs her time to look good.

"Does it always take you so long to decide?"

"Yes." Blair answers in one of the monosyllables she keeps especially reserved for him.

Seriously, what was his problem anyway? It's not like he could be doing anything better at the moment…She could count his to do list on her fingertips….Finish the last two pages from the Earnest Hemingway he has been carrying around…Brood about the unfairness of being born on the other side of the bridge…Lecture Jenny… Catch up with Rufus… Brood about the unfairness of being born on the other side of the bridge…Take Tom Sheppard to another Yankee game…. Brood about the unfairness of being born on the other side of the bridge… Try and get in touch with Vanessa Abrams.

"What happened to your Bohemian girlfriend by the way?"

"She's in Haiti." And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that he is feeling pretty rotten about it.

"Want to talk about it?" It surprises even her.

"With you?" He looks mildly disgusted and she is mildly offended.

She shrugs at him, "Yeah. Unless of course you want to confess that you got cooties because you slept with her." And this was not the mental image she ever wanted to repeat. Ever.

"You really like it?" she suddenly interrupts what she guesses are another round of his broody, dark and absolutely not so sexy thoughts.

He looks up to find her posing in front of him, holding the earlier peach dress displayed against her body. The situation is a bit hilarious if nothing else.

"I do." He answers without hesitation.

"Then…" She grins sneakily at him, "I'm not buying it."

* * *

Fifteen minutes into the Bass show and he has his plate piled with pickled oysters, he has now developed a taste for and has found his way over to Blair Waldorf.

He has to bite his cheek from laughing out loud as he recognizes the peach dress from the store. After all he too had chosen to dress nice.

Her eyes are however glued to a couple across the room and he finds himself following her gaze to Nate and a now blonde Charlotte.

"It won't work." He offers.

"Of course it will."

He sometimes wonders if she was really that naive or did she simple get a kick out of interfering in other people's lives and seeing them alter to her specifications.

"Nate is a great guy Blair, but even he doesn't have the patience for Charlotte."

"He dated Abrams." She states the obvious.

"And it didn't last." He reminds her. "Besides Vanessa was still refreshing, while Charlotte…" He trails off as a highly pitched laugh breaks off across the room. Dan looks up to find Nate cringing as Charlottes laughs at what he assumes is a very politically incorrect situation.

He watches as Blair slightly shakes her head at Charlotte and she finally shuts up.

"What have you told her about Nate?" he asks.

"That he had been asking about her since he ran into her."

"What?" He had not known _that. _Until now he was assuming that he was simply helping Blair find a friend. Albeit a friend Blair wanted to notch up to her status.

But this was absolute deceit.

"That's manipulation Waldorf."

"No Cabbage Patch," she smiles sweetly at him, "That's match making."

He should have known better.

"And how did you convince Nate to get her here?" He asks, dreading the answer.

He just does not trust Waldorf.

She turns around to face him, smiles in a way which just spells trouble and snatches an oyster from his plate before replying, "I told him that you would finish his English essays if he did the favour of getting your cousin along as a date."

* * *

Blair wraps her arms around herself in a comforting gesture as she proudly observes Charlotte coyly flirting with Nate…She taught well.

Humphrey was a fool to think that there was anything wrong with trying to fix up two single, young, very much in need of love people…And then there were the incentives. It wasn't going to be long till Gossip Girl sent a blast about Blair's new best friend was not just anybody; she was Nate Archibald's new arm candy… And Nate too needed a nice girl once in a while.

It was beyond perfect…

She looks around the room, her gaze casually landing on Chuck Bass casually dropping a cherry between some model's cleavage, only to retrieve it out quite unashamedly with his tongue, "Oh! Why can't some people just get a room?" She asks disgustingly.

"I was just about to ask the same thing."

She follows Dan's gaze to yet another corner of the room, where a heavy make out session between Carter and Serena was in progress…

And this was supposed to be a classy event? Apparently Bart Bass's death had affected much more than just the future of Empire.

She sighs tiredly, "You know Cabbage Patch, I could do with some fresh air."

"What about your charity project?" he asks.

She resents the title but is too tired to protest. Nate and Charlotte though seem to be in an okay conversation. "They'll manage," she assures Humphrey.

He looks at her briefly before standing up and offering his hand, "C'mon then, I know of a very cool comic convention being held downtown."

She gives his hand a full thirty seconds inspection before finally smiling and taking it, "I always did like Batman."

* * *

_AN- So? What do you think? Do review?_


	5. Chapter 5

_AN- Finally! I had exams and stuff and didn't get the chance to update earlier. Here's hoping you do like this chapter._

_I didn't get a chance to get this beta read, so all the mistakes you catch are absolutely my own. And to all who also watch Lie To Me, you will recognize a scene I picked up from there._

* * *

He can hear her laugh even before he has entered the room. There is a certain tilt to it he does not quite approve of, but then who is he to approve or not approve of what Blair Waldorf does?

More often than he likes to acknowledge he just plays along with whatever she throws at him.

He stops at the doorway; taking in the scene which greets him…

Richard Clampton is standing in front of her, leaning not so casually while Blair looks up at him with unmistakable joy. He whispers something into her ears, his lips lingering for a second too long and Blair laughs that laugh again.

Dan almost spills the coffee he is holding in his hand.

Thankfully, the shrill voice of Charlotte Wilkins distracts him from doing something really stupid like punching Clampton square in the face and throwing the hot coffee on top of his head as well; you know, just for the added effect…He really has been taking his protector job way too seriously.

"Blaaair….I got you some coffee." Charlotte, her hair still blonde but now topped with a silk hair band breezes past him. Trust Blair to present Nate with a combination of Serena and herself…She _did_ know the guy.

From his position at the door, just out of Blair's line of vision, he notices how Clampton smiles at her one final time, his fingers brushing hers, almost interweaving, as he walks past to let Blair turn to Charlotte.

This time it takes all of his effort to not throw the scalding coffee on the professor's faces...The fact that it was coffee for Blair is probably one of the reasons he stops short. He knows that she would not approve of him wasting the drink which he now has her addicted to.

The detail that she does not drink it unless he brings it for her each morning is not lost on him.

So he waits his turn, letting Charlotte offer a cup and watches how Blair's eyes first search for him and then with a resigned sigh she takes the cup…

"Decaf?" Blair says taking a sip. "Sorry Charlotte, I don't drink decaf."

"But I thought…"

"You thought wrong," Blair stops her midsentence, "I only take…"

"Hazelnut Latte with low fat cream…" Dan offers as he makes an appearance and hands Blair her coffee, who smiles at him gratefully before scowling, "You're late Cabbage Patch. Rehearsals began an hour ago."

He steals a glance at Clampton chatting up to a group of other cast members at the other end. "I noticed." He says dryly.

There are just two more rehearsals to go before the final curtain on Wednesday night. He for one can't wait for this thing to get over.

* * *

It's a scene straight from the closing act of the Shakespearean play they are dramatizing; She has her face turned upwards towards his, her arms lovingly around his neck while he looks down adorably into those Bambi brown eyes.

And they were not even on stage.

It would have been perfect but for the little details only close inspection bought out.

Blair does not have her head lovingly turned up towards him; she has his forcefully turned downwards. Her arms are not so much as around his neck in affection as much as her hands seemed to grip harshly at the nape of his collar. And the Bambi brown eyes Dan peers into with fear are shinning with something more acute to flaming rage than utmost passion.

"How…" She seethes, "How did Gossip Girl get this?"

"Blair…"

"Don't you dare 'Blair' me Humphrey. I want to know how in the world Gossip Girl found out about Rick."

"B- Blair, a little lighter please." Dan pleads, "You need me alive to answer that."

She of course only continues to tighten her hold on his nape, "It was you. Wasn't it?"

"Me?" Dan chokes out. "It could have been anyone."

Which is true considering Blair is not making any secret about her gigantic crush on Clampton and anyone could have given Gossip Girl the little tip for her latest blast:

_Looks like B has decided to drown her NYU sorrows in a little inappropriate fraternization back at the Uni…From UES circles to stooping this low? Awww B, we do hope you rise back to your standards… Considering that you still can._

The picture accompanying the text is of her and Clampton during one of the rehearsals while Dan himself looms in the background…

"Um Blair…," Dan manages once she loosens her grip on him, "You do realize that the text does not really mention Clampton."

She quirks up an eyebrow at him and he continues hurriedly, "I mean I'm in the picture as well …" her other brow goes up, "it could well be about me…" He finishes.

She stares at him in disbelief before squaring her shoulders and replying, "It's not about you."

"Why? You don't think I'm low enough?" and dare he smile at a moment like this?

"No." She retorts before walking off in the opposite direction, "because I don't consider myself ever _fraternizing_ with you."

He follows her none the less, responding to instincts which definitely do _not _correspond to the stronger part of his brain. Nobody follows Blair Waldorf before she has effectively blown off her steam, except him, who forgot to pay attention during Jude –Constance social dos and don'ts.

"Blair…" he slides in front of her, "listen to me."

But this time she doesn't stop to roll her eyes, she shoves against his shoulder and walks into a door and Dan is left with a hardly a choice but to follow her inside.

"I didn't do it…" he clarifies from behind her and the next he knows she has turned around, her eyes incensed with anger, shoving a finger at his chest, "You." She pushes at him again and he has to take a step back, "You are the reason I'm in NYU today. If not for you I would be at this moment in Yale."

And what had led this? It had been so long…Things had long cooled down.

He had thought that they had moved past since then…He had been thinking that they were _friends_.

"Your idiotic sister ruined my senior year," She continues, "and you're adamant on ruing my college."

"Blair." He tries again, "you're being unreasonable."

"_I'm_ being unreasonable?" she snaps. "Look at you, following me into the ladies room."

And as if on cue the door opens and a guy walks in, eyeing Blair in a funny way.

Sensing the discomfort she looks around, for the first time taking in her surroundings. This was definitely not the Ladies' room.

"The Men's room Blair." Dan says quietly. "The Men's room."

* * *

Blair is in the middle of her Act V Scene II and she pretty much hates this part of the play, not only is it tediously long with too many lines to learn, it is also way too chauvinist…

She does the entire head at her husband's feet for the sake of theater alone and the fact that Susan Fleetwood did it once in 1973…..

"…_Then vail your stomachs, for it is no boot, and place your hands below your husbands' foot: In token of which duty, if he please, My hand is ready; may it do him ease…"_

Dan pauses for a second and she assumes he is too busy rejoicing at the sight of her at his feet, "_Why, there's a wench!" _he recites while bending down to pick her up, "I didn't do it Blair." He whispers close to her ear, "I didn't send Gossip Girl any tip..."

Blair looks up at him uncertainly, she doesn't know if she believes him or not.

"I swear." He repeats. "_Come on, and kiss me Kate."_

And perhaps she does believe him. Perhaps.

Before she can pull away from his arms and let Lucentio recite his lines, Sarah, the assistant director helping out Rick cuts in, "You guys have to kiss at this point Blair…"

"What?" Both Dan and she turn around to look at her in shock.

"There's no kiss in the play." Dan argues.

"It's _Shakespeare_ for God's sake..." Blair puts in.

Sarah says something about keeping in tune with the times, "besides, I didn't order it. Richard Clampton did."

"I'm not kissing him." She tells Sarah, "I'm not kissing you." She turns around to scowl at Dan, "Ever."

* * *

He doesn't think he has the room for argument at this point and thus simply nods in agreement, turning around to explain to Sarah that this was really not necessary.

But she is adamant and insists and soon there is an entire cast jibbing at them for being immature.

He argues and pleas, more for the benefit of Blair than himself (because seriously he is serious about his theater as well…)

He is half expecting Blair to quit now and walk off the stage when suddenly all he knows is that she has turned his face towards hers and her lips have slapped against his own.

Dan gasps in surprise which turns out to be a definite mistake because all it does is facilitate the pressure of the kiss and he has to hold on to her for the lack of support, his hands grasping at her waist while hers are bunched at the material of his shirt.

Vaguely, he is aware that this is going on for longer than a stage kiss and Blair should stop. But she hasn't and this is where he remembers that he isn't supposed to disagree with her.

So he angles his face and pulls her closer, swallowing a moan he isn't sure who lets out.

They finally break it up when the need to breath becomes too hard to ignore.

And he has to take several long ones to think clearly. _What the hell just happened here?_

Beside him, Blair has recovered from the shock much more quickly. She ignores the questioning look he gives her, "Are you happy now." She asks Sarah instead and without waiting for a reply, turns on her heels and walks off.

Leaving Dan and several others to stare after her.

"I think William Shakespeare just turned in his grave." Sarah finally mutters in a daze.

* * *

_AN- So? A KISS? Too soon? Do review._


	6. Chapter 6

_AN- A couple of movies and shows have found their way into this chapter. Hope you like this as much as I enjoyed writing it._

_A huge thanks to bsloths for beta reading this.

* * *

_

As it turns out, the lead pair of the NYU annual play barely look at each other in the eye on the final day.

And that kiss in the end turns out to be a hurried, quick peck on the lips; so quick like the other was poisoned.

The theatre majors scowl from back stage. Why had they ever agreed to let English majors play the lead?

Richard Clampton on the other hand looks purely disappointed. Perhaps he had seen just too much in Blair Waldorf. She still was very pretty, he thinks, consoling himself.

Charlotte Wilkins in the audience just waits with bated breath. She knows that Blair would come back in a fit of rage and she needs to be prepared to do whatever Blair needs to feel better.

And amidst all this, sits a very amused Nate Archibald. Blair hated Dan, sure. But he had never seen either of them so uncomfortable with each other before. What exactly was going on between these two?

* * *

_Well. That went well. _Dan mocks himself, picking up his stuff and making his way out of the makeup room.

"Dude!" A very happy with himself Nate Archibald stops him on his way, "What was that?"

Like he knows. Even when they had hated each other in high school they had managed a perfect act.

And they didn't hate each other now. Not really.

And hadn't they just sort of _kissed, _very passionately at that, at the last rehearsal?

So. No. He has no idea what _that _was.

"How is it going with Charlotte?" He asks instead, wanting to change the subject.

Nate's sparkling eyes dim a bit and he frowns at Dan, "Yeah. About that…Dude, I know she's your cousin and all but…" He trails off and for a second Dan is tempted to just tell him that Charlotte was as much as his cousin as the sky was green and he didn't have to do any of this.

But then his eyes turn to his right as he catches a pair of Purple Jimmy Choo shoes turn the corner.

Blair.

She would not even bother to kill him this time. He would guess an 80-20 to be buried alive.

More importantly she would be heartbroken. She had put so much into this. In her argument he'll say that she was only trying to make the world a better place…

So Dan Humphrey finds himself encouraging Nate Archibald to give his 'cousin' another chance.

"Bring her to Blair's New Year's party." He pleads with him.

He watches as Nate contemplates for a moment and then reluctantly agrees.

Dan sighs in gratitude.

Now, he just has Christmas to get over with.

* * *

It's one of those rare December days when the sun is actually shining and Blair finds herself sitting on a bench in the middle of the campus taking in all the sun she can.

It's a very NYUish thing to do and she hates herself for it but these days she has been doing way too many of these university things. But if she really comes to think of it, and even though they are still instances where she sticks out like a sore thumb, she has been feeling more and more one with the place these days.

She isn't sure if she is happy or not about it. (Someday, perhaps _someday_ she will thank Humphrey for all of this.)

The sun hits her hair and bounces off into a million particles lending a golden sheen to her otherwise brown hair. She closes her eyes in satisfaction.

The thing with Nate and Charlotte has been going on better than she expected. Just yesterday Charlotte had informed her that Nate had asked her to go with him to the New Year's Eve party Blair was throwing.

She sighs pleasantly. Nate must really like Charlotte.

Now, she just has Christmas to get over with.

* * *

Christmas morning she finds a very haggard looking Humphrey in her living room.

"I come in peace." He says, extending his hand out to her, "and the Yule spirit."

Blair looks at his hand and then back at him. Now that she had calmed down and was back in the UES , she could think clearly.

There was a possibility this wasn't his doing after all.

She takes his hand, "Apology accepted Cabbage Patch."

She then takes a good look at his rumpled hair and creased shirt, "Did you run all the way from Brooklyn for this?" She quirks up an eyebrow and smirks at him, "I'm touched."

"Funny." He deadpans, "But I _was _running around." He says as he picks up the bag he left on the coffee table, "looking for a Christmas present for you is sure not an easy job."

Blair's eyes go round with shock and he silently prides himself on catching her off guard.

"You bought me a Christmas present?"

"I did say I came in peace."

She still hasn't been able to fathom it. In fact sometimes she has trouble figuring him out all together.

But she did love presents.

Very tentatively, Dan hands her the package and she unwraps it with as much care.

It's a green silk scarf. She touches it, it's soft and supple and she loves the subtle sheen it gets when the light falls on it.

It's…

"It's beautiful…" She says honestly.

And so much for cold Christmas Day, it's suddenly stifling in the room.

He takes the scarf from her hand and slowly folds it into two, taking two steps closer to where Blair is standing.

"Do you know something?" She asks suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"This is my first Christmas present this year."

His eyes meet hers and perhaps it's because it's too early and Humphrey hadn't been around to get her coffee but she continues, "Mother and Cyrus decided to spend Christmas on a cruise this year."

He then understands. This was not about presents.

"Why didn't you go to Paris then?" He asks curiously.

"Ughhh…" She makes a face, "Chuck is holidaying there. I'll be sure to run into him."

"About that…" And now that he has started it seems that the rambling would continue, "Why him?" he asks even though really it wasn't his place and hadn't he said so himself that they were two deprived souls meant for each other?

Blair laughs at first, a soft bitterish laugh and then sobers up as she looks at him seriously, "because he is the only one who loved me more than he loved Serena."

Dan isn't expecting that. He knew the two friends shared issues, but he didn't know they ran so deep.

And he doesn't know how to defend himself against her statement.

He isn't sure why he wants to.

So instead he takes another step closer and slowly loops the scarf around Blair's neck, "Why are you telling me this Blair?" he asks quietly.

"I don't know Humphrey." Blair answers. "Maybe, because I like you."

His hands still at the scarf and before he can ask her if she was on crack or something, she continues, "You know, the way I like my cabbage patch dolls. It's kind of pathetic."

He nods, swallowing a nervous lump forming in his mouth.

Quietly, he finishes his ministrations, putting the two ends of the scarf inside a loop and forming a knot at her throat.

"There, it fits." He says, taking a step back and admiring his handiwork.

She rolls her eyes at him and then smiles, her fingers lightly moving over the material.

He finds himself smiling back into those brown eyes.

Because the truth is he likes his cabbage patch dolls as well.

And it is kind of pathetic.

* * *

When he gets home there is a package lying at his door.

Bibbity Bobbity Boo…' The card on the top read and Dan instantly recognizes the magic words Fairy Godmother uses on Cinderella.

Inside, there is a brand new Navy Blue blazer with a note that reads, 'Stuff that ego of yours and wear this for my New Year's party. I refuse to be seen with you in that ridiculous long tie and flannels.'

He should be offended. He really should, but he is too busy smiling.

* * *

_AN- So? Do review? Anything in particular you want happening at the upcoming New Year's party?_


	7. Chapter 7

_AN- Finally, I have this chapter up._

_Hope you'll all like it. _

_Thanks to bsloths for her never faltering patience with my carelessness.

* * *

_

He cuts himself at least three times while shaving that morning.

The first is because he decides to get up way too early after a late night spent over a Thomas Hardy novel and the razor cuts too close to his chin because he barely has his eyes open while looking at himself in the mirror. The second time, he is too busy thinking that Blair would kill him if he turns up at her party with a gash on his face and the third is when he is trying to decide why in the hell is he thinking about Blair Waldorf this early in the day?

Finally, it takes him putting his arms square on the basin and looking at himself intently in the mirror, 'This isn't that big a deal, man. Another 31st of December and yet another New Year's Eve!'

Except…

_I refuse to be seen with you in that ridiculously long tie and flannels….._

Does that mean he has to show up there with _her? _Him and her, as in together?

Is this a date?

The thought is still creepy but apparently he does not barf at it anymore.

Finally, it takes him several deep thinking moments to decide that since Blair is hosting the party the safest route is to go to the party alone and see how things progress from there. A date or not a date could well be decided while they are on course with it.

* * *

He runs into Tom Sheppard on the subway and is appropriately uncomfortable when the other guy decides to be absolutely upfront to him about Charlotte Wilkins.

"I mean, she was so cool before. You know, the ginger hair, the unique and original sense of fashion, the pierced nipple…"

"Excuse me!" Dan pretends to sneeze, while Sheppard continues uninterrupted, "It's like she had an artist inside her and now it has been taken over by some blonde, hair band wearing alien."

Dan nods in sympathy, not in a position to offer more.

"I really liked her, Dan, and I think I still do but I don't recognize her anymore."

Doesn't he know? Hasn't he seen Blair take Charlotte and alter her personality inside out and make her a miniature version of herself? Hasn't he himself been a party to it?

* * *

"Waldorf?" He calls from behind her and she finds herself chuckling slightly when she turns around to look at him, "Although I don't fancy the scars on your face Cabbage Patch, I'll admit that you do clean up nice."

He mutters a thank you at her and she is a little chary to notice that he seems uncomfortable about something, "Spill Humphrey."

He opens his mouth but then deciding against bringing up the plight of Tom Sheppard at the moment, in the middle of a champagne sipping party she has so carefully thrown, he shuts it, tugging instead at his collar in mock irritation, "This thing." He says, "It's just very stuffy."

She punches him lightly on the arm, "Shut up Cabbage Patch. The blazer suits you just fine."

"Did you just pay me two compliments within a minute, Blair?"

"No." She blinks at him, "I just…" She looks determinedly at him, "It's probably all beyond you but you should know that sometimes superb fashion sense like that can be a little stuffy. It's about time you learn to deal with it."

"Yeah well, you could have done worse," he says and she follows his eyes to where Chuck Bass is making his grand entrance, "You could have dressed me in a Chuck Bass purple."

She laughs a bit, "I wouldn't dare. Nobody can pull off purple like Chuck does."

He nods his head in agreement, "I should know. I did give his eyes some shades of it before."

He is glad that he can make her laugh now, that they have come to this position where it is all right to talk about the days of Constance and Jude and not immediately get into an argument. Don't get him wrong, he absolutely enjoys the banter they share but he has been looking more and more forward towards the little chuckles that interrupt these banters once in a while.

His good mood, however, disappears immediately as Chuck Bass approaches him at the bar as he waits for a drink, "Who's that?"

He turns around to look and the sight leaves his jaw hanging. She has invited _him_? After the fact that she had almost killed him for the Gossip Girl blast, she is now ready to be seen with him _publically_? Well, at least that answers his dilemma, this was not _their _date. Finding his voice back he answers, "That is Richard Clampton," he answers dryly, "English Professor at NYU."

"Ah!" Chuck says in his typical way, "He's British I presume." And then more to himself than to Dan, "So, this is her new game plan."

Dan wants to tell him that he doesn't think that this is a game, that he's afraid that she genuinely likes Clampton. He also wants to tell someone that he doesn't trust the professor one bit and is afraid that Blair is going to get very hurt by the time this ends.

But Chuck Bass is hardly the guy he is going to have a heart to heart with.

His drink arrives and he gets up to excuse himself when Chuck continues, "Daniel, take this advice because one, you're never going to get it from me again and two, because I will never again be this nice to you."

Dan stops and waits for the other man to continue, "We're a messed up lot but we know how and what we're doing." He turns around to look at Dan squarely in the eye, "and if you think that you will ever understand any of this then you're sadly mistaken. So keep away."

He doesn't know if what Chuck Bass just said to him is advice or a threat but he knows one thing; that it is probably too late to revert back. He is neck deep into the catastrophe that is the UES and whether he's doing it now out of the promise he made to Serena and Nate or because he genuinely cares, he is going to look out for Blair Waldorf.

* * *

As the night comes to an end Blair finds herself blissfully happy. There are another thirty minutes to go before the year closes and she already knows that the new one is going to be full of new surprises.

For one, it turns out that Richard Clampton is a classy dancer as well. She happily twirls in his arms and lets her eyes roam the crowd in the room as she does so. This has to be one of the best parties she has ever thrown. The decision to make her not yet official relationship with Richard public had been a good one. Several cameras have already clicked and almost everyone wants to know all the juicy details. It does not matter to her anymore that Gossip Girl thinks an NYU professor is beneath her. Richard has positively made an impression tonight with his charm and besides an NYU professor was far better than an NYU student.

She turns her eyes to the other corner where Chuck Bass is his usual, chatting up one of the hired helps by the bar…Why does he ever bother talking with them anyway? She knows him well, it's not like he cares either way. There is also Nate Archibald there, quietly nursing a drink as his brow creases together in a frown. Oh Nate! Ever the confused one, here she is presenting him with a custom made chance at love in the form of Charlotte Wilkins and he would rather try and look all tortured by the counter.

Speaking of which, Blair turns her head once more to find where Charlotte has disappeared to. She would have to teach her more Lacrosse or something to keep Nate entertained if things were to go as planned. Maybe it was time to teach her to seduce an Archibald. That ought to keep Nate entertained. Her eyes finally catch her on the other side of the room, quietly standing, looking absolutely out of place, while almost everyone around her dances.

She almost feels sorry for the girl but before she can make anything of the guilt, she notices Dan Humphrey walking towards Charlotte and asking her to dance.

Blair smiles, surprisingly enough Dan was becoming one of her favorite allies.

* * *

He decides that it's quite enough as the tempo of the music changes to a much slower, more romantic beat and he excuses himself from Charlotte to get back to the bar. He is there right now trying to decide if it is wise to drown in alcohol just because he doesn't approve of the way Clampton holds Blair while they slow dance, or that Chuck Bass has just given him a pep talk of sorts he has no intention of following, or that Nate keeps throwing him dirty looks once in a while because apparently he had coerced him to date his _cousin._

What mess!

"Mr. Humphrey."

Great, just what he needs, "Professor Clampton." Dan mutters a greeting in return and even though he knows that this is not really his place and Blair would really really not be happy if she ever got the wind of it, he has never had an off switch to his rambling, so it's without much preamble that he faces Clampton upfront and confronts him, "What are your intentions with Blair….Sir?"

The older man smiles and Dan can't believe how he hasn't noticed the spite behind the gesture before, "My intentions with Ms. Waldorf are none of your concern Mr. Humphrey."

"If it concerns Blair then it concerns me," Dan tells him, "And if…" He trails off; he is just about to tell the professor that if he hurts Blair he would personally make sure that he gets hurt in return. What surprises him though is that he actually means it.

"Oh! Don't be such a prude Mr. Humphrey, " Clampton calls out as Dan turns around to go, deciding that graceful passiveness was the better option at the moment, "We could always _share _her."

That does it, a rage quite unnatural to him boils inside him as Dan lowers his drink back on the counter and turns around.

And just as the clock chimes midnight and the room around them explodes into jubilations, he raises his fist and punches his English professor squarely in the nose.

* * *

_AN- So? How was it? The next chapter should have more on Clampton and the consequences of hitting a professor. Do review?_


	8. Chapter 8

_AN- Here it is. Much fluff in this one…_

_A big thanks to bsloths._

* * *

"Really?" Blair raises a perfectly shaped eyebrow from her spot at the doorframe of his bedroom, "That was very intelligent of you Humphrey. Punching a professor? Way to go."

"Please Blair…" Dan pleads, his eyes closed, his head resting on the headboard of his bed; it had been a long long day, "I've already had my Dad bust me over the incident. I don't need you to add to my misery."

He hopes she'll take the hint but he forgets that this is Blair Waldorf and you never ever, however much subtly, order her to do anything, for all she does in return is take four quick, angry step in his direction and shoving his feet to one side, she sits on the edge of his bed, "With good reasons Humphrey. Rufus should know what an idiot of a son he has brought up."

He just sighs in defeat. The last thing he needs is Blair Waldorf on his back telling him what an impulsive fool he was.

Not that Clampton had not deserved it. He had, and if Dan has another chance he will not hesitate to repeat it all over again.

And let's face it; even thought the news of it had travelled fast to the NYU authorities, the fact that it had happened outside the campus and that Lilly had had to make a few calls had ultimately resulted in him being let off with just a week's suspension.

It sure could have been a hell of a lot worse.

"You could have been expelled, Humphrey."

"But I wasn't." Dan replies shortly.

"But you could have…."

Dan sighs in irritation again; right now, in spite of the self acknowledgement that he could be, for some absolutely unacceptable, inexplicable, _rotten_ reason, slightly crushing on her, he was getting very tired of Blair Waldorf.

"I did not get expelled Blair," he repeats one more time opening his eyes to glare at her, "in fact, had I told the dean about what Clampton was up to then _he_ for sure would have been expelled."

"What?" Blair shrieks and Dan has to rub his ears in order to be able to hear anything ever again, "Humphrey, don't dare tell me that what happened at the New Year's party had anything to do with Rick and me. You told me yourself that you got into an argument over the social impact of Victor Hugo's _Claude Gueux_."

Oh! God! How could he have forgotten? He hadn't told Blair what had led to the punch, keeping it instead to a literary argument gone wrong, which Blair had reluctantly but finally bought.

However, he recovers quickly and informs her that contrary to what she believes, everything is not always about her, and that in his opinion false perceptions on literature is well worth being fired for.

He hopes that she'll drop the subject.

She does; except that he knows that it's Blair Waldorf and she never really ever drops a subject and later if not sooner he would have to give an explanation. For now though there is silence for some time and Dan goes back to resting his tired eyes, willing silently for her to leave.

"I went to see Rick at the hospital."

Dan opens his eyes instantly. Of course she did.

"Did you take flowers?"

"Actually, I did." Blair smirks up at him, but it doesn't last very long as she continues, "But he was asleep so I had to give them to his wife."

_Wife?_

He knew that man was a bastard, but a _married _bastard?

He sits up immediately, "Oh! Crap Waldorf. I'm so sorry," he says honestly.

"Yeah, well…" Blair continues, "I'm not."

"No?"

"No," she affirms, "It turns out that the idea of an affair with a professor is far cooler than actually having an affair with one."

So, forgive him for being confused. It doesn't affect Blair that Clampton was married all this while? Was she not, as he had believed her to be, in love with the professor?

She laughs a good laugh when he proposes the same to her, "In _love _with him? God, no Humphrey. Yes, I'm hurt because he played me, but it's not like I thought this was going to go somewhere real."

She brushes her hand slightly with his as she leans to make her point and Dan has to remind himself to exhale, "The day I fall in love Humphrey, the truly, madly deeply kind, it's going to be for far more than just a British accent and a crooked grin."

* * *

"So? Do you want to work out a vengeance plan against Clampton?"

And when had they gotten to the end of the second bottle of wine Blair had found acceptable enough to drink?

"Oh! My! I've created a scheming monster out of you Cabbage Patch."

Dan doesn't know if it's the wine or the fact that she is still sitting on his bed but he can't believe how endearing he now finds the doll nicknames.

"I'm serious Waldorf, aren't you going to do anything about Clampton?"

"What? Tell the NYU staff about how there was a teacher-student romance building up right under their noses? Oh! C'mon Humphrey, been there done that during High School, don't you think?"

Dan shakes his head at her devilish grin; Blair's never going to give up on the Miss Carr incident, is she? "Besides," she continues, "I've met his wife, trust me he has suffered enough."

Dare he think so? _Had B__lai__r Waldorf lost her scheming gene?_

"And I do have more important things on my mind. I need you to figure out what's happening with Nate and Charlotte."

_Apparently not. _

"That…" Dan begins but shuts up when he realizes that he has nothing to say in the matter. It was more than apparent to him that Nate was just not interested but if Blair refused to see it that way then there was just so much he could do about it. "What about them?" he chooses to ask nonchalantly instead.

Blair turns to him crossly, "Charlotte called up this morning to tell me that Nate was being distant. I need to find out why."

Dan nods in understanding; that wasn't surprising, "You can't force him to like someone Blair. You tried okay. Forced, no, bribed Nate to take Charlotte out on a couple of dates. If he still doesn't like her then I think you should let it go."

"Are you kidding me, Humphrey? This is Nate Archibald we're talking about. That man needs to be told who he's in love with. He can never make up his mind on his own."

She does have a point there.

But he's afraid to ask how far she's willing to go until she realizes what a futile attempt at matchmaking this Nate-Charlotte business is going to be.

* * *

It's silly that he, a straight A student throughout school, has just been suspended from college for a week and he decides to celebrate it by taking Blair Waldorf to his favourite restaurant in all of Brooklyn.

"I repeat, my life has just been freaky fridayed…There is no way I just finished a bowl of chili potatoes in this joke of a Chinese restaurant in Brooklyn of all places."

"You have to admit that there were good though," he says as they wait outside for a cab to take her back to the UES.

"Their chef is an Indian, Humphrey…It isn't authentic Chinese if it has cloves in it."

Dan grins, the fact that he had seen her fish for last specs of crumbs on her plate had said otherwise.

"My mom used to bring me here when I was young," he admits to her and Blair looks up startled. The memory of how he had spoken quite openly about his mother to her when they didn't even know each other hitting her instantly.

She also remembers that the reason behind the admission had been to help her sort through her own problems.

Pride had stopped her then from thanking him, pride stops her now from admitting it. So she changes the subject, "Okay, now I know that besides clothes you have no taste in restaurants as well; remind me to feed you in Café Balloon the next time you're uptown."

Dan laughs and Blair can't believe how addictive the sound of his chuckle could be, "Actually, I have been there."

"Serena?"

Dan nods and she fails to diagnose the feeling she gets at not being the one to introduce her favourite restaurant in New York to him.

She shrugs offhandedly in an attempt to show her disinterest, "Enough about restaurants Humphrey. Tell me something else I don't know about you."

He looks down at her, and Blair is left admiring the detail that he is taller than most men she has dated. Oh! Why was that even a comparison? Clearly, she had had too much to drink tonight.

"I hate olives," Dan tells her. "It's now your turn."

"I love Pumpkin pies," Blair supplies readily.

"Remind me to bake you one someday," Dan says and she makes it a mental note to do just that, "I dislike Chaucer's writing."

"I don't like him either."

"I love snow."

"I know that," Blair tells him, "I helped Serena with the fake snowflakes that year." She suddenly remembers something and grins up at him, "Why, wasn't that the night you finally grew up Humphrey?"

Dan slaps his head in mock frustration and Blair takes full pride in the pale blush that tints his cheeks; she can't believe that the man could still _blush _even though he continues to be casual about it, "Now I know why I haven't bothered talking to you before. Being friends with your ex's best friend is never helpful."

Blair laughs along with him, "Save yourself the embarrassment Humphrey. It's not like Gossip Girl ever lets us keep any secrets."

"I'll tell you one though," he tells her and she realizes that they have not bothered to try hailing a cab a good few minutes back.

She nods at him to continue.

"You remember the Bass brunch three years back when we first met."

Blair nods, "The one in which you punched Chuck."

Dan grimaces, "Yeah…That. I do seem to have a knack for punching people, don't I?"

"Tell me about it," Blair mutters under her breath.

"Well, actually that was not the first time we had met."

"No?"

"No. It was at Thanksgiving a year before that. I ran into you and Serena on the street that day and you thought I was trying to take advantage of a drunken Serena."

Blair shakes her head in confusion, she did not have any recollection of meeting him then but she does remember a drunken Serena, "You ran into your dream girl on the street and you still manage to remember running into me. I'm flattered Humphrey."

Dan laughs and Blair has to catch her breath once again, "Well, you did accuse me of being some sort of a perverted rapist. A man tends to remember that."

"Can I tell you a secret then?" Blair asks and Dan nods, "I think Serena was her most stable, her happiest when she was with you."

An emotion she couldn't quite place passes through Humphrey's eyes as he steps in a little closer, "Can I tell you another thing you don't know about me?"

She nods, a nervous lump forming in her throat as he continues to stare right at her, "I don't prefer blondes anymore."

"But, I thought it ran in your family."

"Well, then you thought wrong."

It's exactly like the moments she sometimes dreams about, the movie like setting of a deserted pavement, the foggy night and a neon yellow cab which refuses to stop. Dan has never featured in any of them before and neither has Brooklyn and right now she wonders; _why not? _

"There is another thing you should know," he says softly.

"What?" she whispers back at him.

"I would really like to kiss you right now."

Blair takes a minute to reply, "I don't think I'm drunk enough for _that_ Humphrey."

"You have a point there Waldorf. So how about I take you back to the loft and get you drunk before that?" he teases.

"Or maybe two bottles of wine does suffice as being drunk."

"You could be right. After all we're being awfully friendly tonight." Dan agrees as he takes another step closer to her, "we must be very drunk."

"Right."

"Right." He repeats as he makes the final move and fuses his lips with hers.

* * *

_AN- So? Please review. Is this what you were expecting to happen with Clampton? And I know, I know, I left it almost at the same scene as the actual show but hopefully this will see an update before the 18th April! Hopefully :)_


	9. Chapter 9

_AN- I'm really sorry about the delay. But here it is finally. Really hope you enjoy it and thanks to everyone who is still sticking to it._

_As always I could not have done this without the help of my awesome beta bsloths._

* * *

He tries. He really really tries but the most part of the night is just spent staring at the ceiling above his head as he tries to come to terms with what has just happened.

True, he could blame it all on the alcohol and mostly he does…Except there is this irritating voice in his head repeatedly telling him that none of them had been _that _drunk…

Perhaps Blair had been right all along, Brooklyn food had a way of messing with their heads…It had probably left his brain cells dysfunctional…_Both_ their brain cells, because Blair had kissed him too…

And how…

There are flashes in his head of them getting into a cab, he remembers the hand he trailed up her thigh while she breathily gave the cab driver the address to her place back at the UES. He remembers, more so because his shirt is still missing three of its buttons, how she had yanked at his clothes while the taxi had made its way across the Brooklyn Bridge. He more than remembers her moan as his hands had reached her bare back while his lips had continued to trail a path down her throat, _"Not in a cab Humphrey, definitely not in a cab." _

And so he had pushed himself back, settling into the seat of the taxi, away from her. Each waiting for their breaths to return to normal, unsure of what was to happen when the taxi finally reached its destination.

But the moment had been killed. He could see it in the way Blair had looked at him when they had reached the elevator to her place. Her eyes, which a few minutes ago had been clouded with desire, were now looking at him with a hint of unsurety and that had been enough for Dan to question what was happening between them, _"Do you want me to go back Waldorf?"_

She had hesitated, he was sure she had, "Yes…It has been a long day."

At that is all it had taken; for Dan was now back in his loft, alone and confused.

Finally, at somewhere around 5:37 am, he dozes off to sleep, deciding that none of what he has yet to come to terms with could be done on a sleep deprived mind.

* * *

It's the constant vibration of her phone that finally wakes her up and she knows that it is late by the amount of sunlight which has filtered in into her room through the window.

It probably is Dan, Blair decides as she pushes her cell phone away without bothering to check. She does not have the time or the patience to deal with Cabbage Patch at the moment. She still has to come to terms with the fact that she had kissed him… _Twice_ now, and the latest had actually been done without a motive or an audience to prove a point to.

It had been, if she could ever get around to accepting it, done without the slightest trace of scheme behind it….It was a kind of kiss she had once promised Chuck she would have one day…She had kissed Dan Humphrey, simply because she had wanted to kiss him….And it hadn't even remained just a kiss.

Blair sighs into her pillow in irritation as the phone by her bed side keeps buzzing and she finally picks it up just as it goes off to indicate that there are a good five missed calls and a voice message from Charlotte Wilkins.

* * *

Dan stares at his phone for some time before the panic hits him…eight missed calls and three voice messages from Nate Archibald? Had something happened? Had something happened to his Dad while he had been curing a hangover and over analyzing a make out session in the back of a moving cab which probably meant very little to the other party involved? Was it Lilly? Serena? Blair….?

He immediately hits the button….

_"Dude, will you pick up your phone?"_

_"Okay, so you're not going to pick it up and for your sake you better have a better reason for it then the one you fed your dad for getting suspended from college. Any way the thing is that I really need to speak to you."_

_"What the hell Dan? Where are you and why aren't you picking up your phone? Listen, I'm __losing__ my patience here so I'm just going to tell you this over the phone. I'm breaking up with Charlotte. See, I know she is your cousin and all and some of her yoga moves in bed are quite impressive but really I don't have a thing in common with her and frankly sometimes she just drives me out of my mind. I know, I know you probably are thinking 'when does Nate Archibald have anything in common with any one?' and you're probably right. But this time it's different. This time I know who is the one for me. I have __realized__ Dan, that I have been a fool, I have lost what I once had and now I'm going to do everything in my power to get her back…"_

And the line goes dead….

Dan looks shocked at it for several moments as some pieces fit together and then he is immediately bolting out of his house.

* * *

He finds her, as he had expected, in a state of a shock…

"He dumped her…Nate dumped his soul mate."

"I'm afraid '_soul mate' _is stretching it a little too far…" He offers in a quiet tone but Blair carries on as if uninterrupted, "I pick up a nobody and turn her into a Serena clone and Nate dumps her?" She finally glances at him, "how did that ever happen?"

"She isn't his type Blair…"

"Don't give me that Humphrey, my sexual radar has been inhumanly perfect since middle school and this is Nate Archibald we're talking about; since when did he ever have a 'type' in women?"

"Have you had the chance to speak to him yet?"'

"No." Blair shakes her head, still in a slight trance, "he did call though. Said he had something important to discuss with me."

Just as he had expected…

"Blair…."

"Not now Humphrey. I have to prepare a speech. Charlotte is going to drop in any second and I have to have something suitable to say to her to console her."

* * *

He waits patiently for Blair to finish consoling a very tearful Charlotte. He needs to warn her against what is going to make the Gossip Girl blast soon before Nate himself makes it known to her. And he knows it isn't going to be easy.

"He…He told me that he was in love with s…somebody else, Blair. Someone else! All this time he has been hanging out with me he has been in love with some one else…"

Blair throws a pleading glance towards Dan, _help me out with this!_

Dan hesitates, He doesn't think getting further involved in Charlotte Wilkins' love life is a very wise idea but another pained look from Blair and he isn't left with much choice, "Charlotte, Nate is a very dear friend but he must be blind to not notice your uh…uh…" he throws a glance at Blair who motions him to stop stalling and continue, "your charm." He finishes lamely.

"Right." Blair continues, rolling her eyes at him for the half hearted attempt, "For once I'll agree with Humphrey. Nate is an idiot and whoever he thinks he is in love with can not be half as perfect as you are."

"You…You, really think so?" Charlotte asks in between sobs.

"I'm positive." Blair answers.

* * *

It's a good half an later that a still sobbing Charlotte leaves the penthouse to head back to NYU and Blair taps her heels impatiently to let Dan know that his work here is done.

All she needs right now is to get Dorota to bring her some cleansing tea as she ponders alone on how to make Nate Archibald get back to his senses. There's no way that a project she has now worked on for several months would meet with such a disappointing end. There is no way that somebody would break up with her prodigy; It wasn't time yet, Charlotte still had to climb up the social ladder to be considered Blair Waldorf's 'friend' at NYU.

And being dumped by Nate Archibald within three-four weeks didn't quiet make the mark.

"Don't you have to head back to college or something?" She tells Dan as he stubbornly ignores what she has been aiming at as a very pointed attempt at dismissal.

"I was suspended, remember?"

"Yeah…" Blair quickly averts her eyes. She very well remembers what their last conversation on his suspension had led to, "well, then what is it that is keeping you here?"

Dan throws her an irritated glance as something like anger flows in him…She was really going to do the denial thing after what had happened between them last night? But, no he isn't going to talk about it either if she refuses to not even acknowledge his presence, "I know who Nate fancies himself in love with," he tells her instead.

He plays back the voice messages for her and watches as a look of understanding finally settles on Blair's features, "Oh my God!"

"Yeah."

"He is in love with _me_!"

"Yeah…What?" Dan takes a double take at her, "_what_?"

"Of course. '_I have lost what I once had and now I'm going to do everything in my power to get her back.' _Who else could it possibly mean?"

Dan can easily come up with a couple of names, one almost slipping out of his tongue as he watches Blair incredulously, "Seriously?" he finally draws out, "you seriously believe that it all has something to do with you?" his voice takes on an uncharacteristically steely tone, "are you that naïve Blair, or just that conceited?"

"How dare you Humphrey? I know Nate and I know what I'm saying. Sure it's a bit surprising that Nate should return back to me after so many years, but it isn't impossible."

"What about Charlotte then?" he humours her.

"Oh, well we will just have to find some one equally well suited for her. Heaven forbids if that Tom Shepard finds his way back to her."

He has had it that, "For your sake Waldorf, I hope you do realize soon enough that people are not your play things," he picks up his things and is almost at the door when he turns around, "This was very badly done Waldorf."

"Badly done? What are we in? A Jane Austen novel?"

"No. No I wouldn't say so. Even the worst of her characters do not think as little of others as you do."

She squares her shoulders at him, "It should take you four seconds to make it from here to that door, Humphrey. I give you two."

* * *

Once outside, Dan rubs his eyes at the absurdity of the past two days.

He cannot believe that Blair had not as much as mentioned last night and to think that the only thing playing in her mind now is how Charlotte Wilkins must not return to Tom Shepard, the only one person who probably genuinely cares for her.

And how exactly had he himself had managed to jump from being friends with Blair to caring for her to getting suspended for her to making out with her to fighting with her the way they just had…?

And there was still the issue of Nate and his mystery girl. And Dan was willing to bet his life that it wasn't Blair.

Nate Archibald, Dan assumes isn't a man who over thinks before doing something. He has been friends with him for long enough to know that when he says that I have found the one, it probably means that it could well be anyone in the whole of Manhattan….And Nate would assume it to be love. However, this time Dan does think he knows who Nate is talking about.

He has been there and Nate probably has been there longer and to assume that Serena is the love of your life is probably the easiest folly to make.

He just doesn't know how he is to save Blair from another heart break she is definitely heading towards.

* * *

_AN-The Austen fans would realsie that I have altered Nate's feelings a bit here, as Elton he should be in love with Blair but I decided to do the change to suit it more with the GG characters. I hope you guys are not too disapointed. So? How was it ? Please do review._


	10. Chapter 10

_AN- I dedicate this chapter to Eeeep for giving me an awesome idea in the review which made me change my original idea for this chapter. You'll figure it by the end of the chapter. This hasn't been beta read and may contain a lot of mistakes._

* * *

To say that he isn't even slightly nervous the moment he enters the classroom is asking a bit too much even out of Dan Humphrey; The curious, sometimes amused, often skeptic glances doing very little to push some confidence back into his stride, "Here, here," someone cat calls from the back, "the prodigal son returns."

His feet faltering a bit, Dan realises that perhaps choosing Rick Clampton's English class as his foray back into NYU campus post suspension was perhaps not the wisest decision to take. But take the past couple of things he has done in the past weeks and you would know that taking wise decisions wasn't his thing to begin with.

But he has already spotted the bent dark head and for the time being Dan Humphrey forgets to pay attention to anything else. Quietly, he takes his place two rows behind Blair Waldorf. As long as she didn't make it publicly known that the last they had seen of each other was when she had thrown him out of her house, he could deal with it.

The rest of the class passes much in routine except for the occasional whispered nudge about whether the fairly large bruise on Professor Clampton's face was really made by him and Dan just smiles enigmatically at all of them, it isn't his story to tell anyway.

What irks him though is not the curiosity or the steely glance the Professor does not even pretend to hide or the fact that he had till now completely overlooked the fact that a D in his English would totally bump his CGPA.

No, for once it doesn't bother Dan that his dream of finishing as valedictorian may be in total jeopardy, it is instead the fact that Blair has not even once thrown a glance at him.

He is hurt, confused and just plain feeling stupid and he curses himself for sleeping through the lecture on 'a guide to survive falling for Blair Waldorf.', which he is sure must have made the rounds through the hallways at St. Jude's.

Sighing, he turns his attention from Blair's head to what the teacher in front is talking about and almost instantly his eyes fall on what he recognises a very very familiar scene. A girl, Amanda, he thinks, is sitting right where he had frequently last seen Blair all but a week flips her hair to one side in small intervals and giggles in the most obvious of ways at the professor, who grins stupidly back at her (Dan takes great pleasure in the apparent gap in his teeth) obviously revelling in the flirting and the attention.

Unable to stop himself, he steels a quick glance in Blair's direction and from the way she jerks around to look at him he knows that she has noticed it too.

Their eyes meet...And hold. She smiles a little and just like that he blinks in surprise and she has turned her face away.

And Dan simply feels like his world just shifted back into its axis a little.

* * *

"I have been thinking," he says, doing his usual sliding in into her way as she comes out from the room where he had caught her quietly speaking with Amanda at the end of the class.

"I'll make sure to alert the press," she replies flatly, stepping around him to continue on her way.

"Was that you giving a little warning speech to Amanda in there?"

She turns around slowly, her features guarded and he hates, truly hates it. They had come such a long way since their high school days. They were friends, actual friends and he can hardly take the sudden hostility she is giving him, "No Humphrey, we were just exchanging jam recipes."

"Blair?" he calls out, a little desperate because if that was the opening sentence at apology he had been looking for all day then it had pretty much back fired.

"Yes." Blair finally replies after a thoughtfull pause, "yes, I was warning her about Rick."

"Really?"

Her eyes seethe with anger, "Of course you sound surprised that I can think about someone else other than myself, Humphrey."

He truly did suck at apologising, didn't he?

She squares her shoulder and turns around to walk away from him but he isn't ready enough to let her go, "Blair, I'm sorry," even he is surprised by the sincerity in his voice.

But it must have worked because she stops once again even though she doesn't turn around and he takes the opportunity to barge right into a rambling speech, "I _may_ have overstepped some line the other day, "

He can't see her face but there is a certain shift in her posture and he rephrases his sentence immediately."I mean I _know_ that I did overstep some line the other day," had he not known better Dan would have labelled himself as being a bit afraid of Blair Waldorf.

Oh! what the hell, she could scare the living daylights out of him and he knew it. Nothing, nothing was scarier then an angry Blair. The girl gave the whole scorned women idea a whole new meaning, "I don't think its conceited if you think Nate is in love with you. And it doesn't make you a bad person if you want to find the perfect guy for Charlotte, " he takes a breath before continuing honestly, "I may not approve Blair but it isn't my place to judge either."

He'll also like to ask her about that night in Brooklyn, ask her how it was that she didn't even as much as mention it while it was all he could think about, but he stops himself there and patiently waits for her reply.

It comes. "You still don't think Nate could be in love with me," she says turning around to face him and he can't beleive that this is all she has caught out of his heart felt apology, "why?" she asks, "he was in love with me once. Why not now?"

Dan passes a frustrated hand through his hair but swallowing all the wounded pride, he takes two steps closer to her, "Any man would be a fool not to be in love with you Blair."

She smiles at that, "Right answer, Cabbage Patch." And Dan makes a mental note to go drown himself in the most expensive liquor in New York and bill it to Waldorf .

Or he could just deport himself to the North Pole.

Whichever made him feel lesser like a tragedy hero.

* * *

The news that Nate Archibald has unexpectedly left town makes the news at Gossip Girl within hours and Blair is left confused as to why he hadn't come to profousely confess his love to her before leaving for anywhere.

"Perhaps he's gone to pick up flowers from Holland." Dan offers in mock sympathy.

"I hate tulips Humphrey."

"I know," he says, "but this is Nate."

"Not helping Cabbage Patch, but I'll have you know that Nate is a very romantic person and for all you know he could be in Belgium right now just to pick up my faviourite brand of chocolate."

"Fancy." Dan mutters darkly and she chooses to ignore the underlining of anything else in his tone, "you're a very lucky girl."

Her smile fades a little as she notices that even though they have patched up, Dan is being a little distant.

And she knows, God she knows that he wants to talk about their Brooklyn night but then he hasn't truly understood her if he thinks she ever will.

No, it wasn't a mistake. Not when it had felt so right. But this was Dan Humphrey, _Serena's_ Dan...

More importantly he had given her what very few people ever had; Companionship. She may not agree, but NYU would have killed her if it hadn't been for Dan's support. She owes him that. She owes him so much more for their friendship and she is not ready to ruin it all over a drunken night and feelings which are best left unexplored.

"Waldorf? " Dan suddenly asks and she is startled out of her very important article on the lack of funds at the London Fashion Week, "why are you so eager to have Nate in love with you?"

She sighs as he continues, "I mean one moment you think he is Mr. Perfect for Charlotte Wilkins and the next moment you want him for yourself. Forgive me if I'm unable to get hang of all that is vogue in the UES."

"C'mon Humphrey didn't you just tell me that it wasn't your place to judge."

"It isn't," he agrees, "but I'll like to know why the sudden change of heart. Last I checked you had no feelings for him since you two were all but betrothed to each other."

Blair shuts her magazine as she turns to face him properly, "Dan,"she begins patiently and she knows that he has registered the use of his first name, "First of all I'm not _eager _for anything. The man is in love with _me_, you heard him yourself. Secondly, who doesn't like a guy swooning over her. And Nate Archibald is just the guy one needs to get back to the position I lost the moment I got myself admitted to NYU. "

He shrugs and she is unable to read the expression in his eyes, "Would he get into a bar fight with someone for you?"

She smiles self consciously, "Probably not."

And Dan laughs because it really was a dumb, not to mention a desperate, question to ask, "You're right. He would be too scared to get his hair spoiled."

* * *

He finds her early morning when he stops on his way to pick up coffee for Blair, "Charlotte? It's been some time. How have you been doing?"

"I have been better," she says and he immediately feels guilty, "I'm sorry. I heard about the break up," he offers.

Charlotte shrugs nonchalantly but he can see that she is upset and for one moment he actually likes her, "Listen Dan, I know I shouldn't ask but Blair refuses to tell me why Nate broke up with me. Will you please tell me who is it that he dumped me for?"

Now, it is just plain awkward. He understands why Blair wouldn't tell her anything because she is obviously uncomfortable considering she thinks the mystery woman is her but how is he to tell her that the actual reason is that Nate has finally decided to pursue Serena while she plays her usual hide and seek.

"I don't know Charlotte," he lies, "but I'm sure that Nate would have a perfectly reasonable excuse when he returns."

"Yeah." she say sadly, "Where is he anyway?"

_Somewhere where Serena is._ He thinks but effectively refrains from answering her question as he turns the attention to her art classes instead.

_Nate Archibald you better get back to New York City soon._

* * *

She gets a message while in the middle of her Fashion Marketing class and she frowns at it for sometime, unable to decide if she is happy or not.

It's been months since she has last seen her best friend and it was true that she had desperately missed her when she had first joined NYU, so much that she had had to look for her replacement in some one like Charlotte Wilkins. However minions, proteges or even match making experiments could not be labeled as best friends.

She had wanted Serena there when she had felt out of place midst students who couldn't care less that she was THE Blair Waldorf, she had wanted Serena there when she had found out the Rick was a two timing bastard. She had wanted Serena by her side so many times.

But right now, she was comfortable just as she was. She wouldn't go as far as to call them friends either but there were people who recognized her at NYU, sometimes because of the Shakespeare play she had done with Dan and sometimes because they had heard rumors about her and a certain English Professor. It was also just a matter of time till Nate returned from wherever he had disappeared to and someone clicked them together and she would be back on Gossip Girl's radar too. It was surprising but she actually missed the lack of attention the mystery blogger had thrown at her.

And most importantly of all, she had found Serena in Dan.

Sighing, she text a message to Humphrey.

_Serena is back in New York. Wants to meet us at her place in an hour._

He receives the message while in the Spanish class he had signed up for extra credit and he probabaly frowns at it longer than Blair had.

_This_, he has been fearing for sometime now.

* * *

They both yell at the same time, "No!"

"Serena, how could you?" Blair is the first one to regain composure, "you're engaged?"

"Yup!" the glowing blonde replies happily, "aren't you guys happy?"

Dan takes a little more time to come to terms with it; He had not expected Nate to _propose_, "Where is Nate?"

"Nate? Why would I know where Nate is. I just came back from California."

"Exactly, Humphrey," Blair turns to look at him, "Why would she know where Nate is?"

More confused than he has ever been with anything to do with these two girls, which really is saying something considering he has been around them and what they like to call as 'light entertainment' for four years now. He turns from one face to another, "Blair, hold on a second. Serena, what do you mean you don't know where Nate is?"

"That I don't know where Nate is. I haven't seen him since I left New York."

"What? Who are you engaged to then?"

"Carter Baizen" Blair says, "Ben Donavan"Serena replies.

"Wh...What?" Dan and Blair both stare at her, "who is Ben?" Blair finally asks.

Serena laughs at their expressions, "First of all why would I be engaged to Carter and Ben was my teacher back at Connecticut and I'll explain everything once you two give me a chance to speak."

Dan protests, he is still trying to come to terms with what Serena is saying, "You're really engaged?"

Serena's smile falters a bit and she lowers her eyes, "Dan...I, I should probably have told you sooner about this, but it happened so quickly and really you two are the first people I'm telling this to. I'm sorry Dan"

Dan doesn't answer, lines etching his forehead and it is the feeling of Blair shifting a little closer to his side, as if moving in to show her support without making it too apparent that tells him that they have it all wrong, "Serena you have nothing to apologise for. If you're happy then so am I and I can't wait to meet this guy but right now I just want to know where Nate is."

"Again Humphrey, why would she know where Nate is."

"Blair," he turns his attention to the brunette, "I'm sorry but you have to know this, Nate is in love with Serena."

"What?" Serena gasps.

"What?" Blair almost yells.

"What?" comes a voice from the doorway.

They turn around to find a very confused looking Nate Archibald standing at the doorway, "Dan what are you talking about?" He asks.

"Nate? Dude, where have you been?"

Nate steps in and they can hear footsteps behind him, "I was in Hudson."

"Hudson?" It's Blair's turn to ask him a question, "what were you doing in Hudson?"

"He was there, "Jenny Humphrey enters and stands besides him and as the three pairs of eyes look in shock, she entwines her fingers with Nate's, "to find me."

* * *

_AN-Surprised? I was going to make it Serena instead of Jenny till I remembered what fun Jenny could be. Thank you Eeeep._

_Also I realise that considering this is set in Season 3, Jenny should still be in NY but lets just assume for the sake of my inability to think outside the box that she is in Hudson already. However, let's keep in mind that considering that this AU season 3 and Chuck and Blair issues have not happened, Blair may not like Jenny but she doesn't hate her as much as she does at the show._

_I hope you enjoyed it, Please review. More on Charlotte and back in loop with Austen in the next chapter._


	11. Chapter 11

_AN-Another 2-3 chapters to go for this. And a story I have been writing for more than a year will finally see its end._

_For now, here is the latest._

_As always, this would not have been possible without my awesome beta, bsloths._

* * *

"Enough with the theatrics, don't you think?"

She doesn't reply, not at first at least, and it takes several very patient seconds till he hears a muffled sound from where her face is stuffed into the pillow.

"Excuse me? What is that you just mumbled?" he asks, knowing full well that whatever he asked Blair right now would pretty much be answered by something sarcastic or angry…Or both.

Dan sighs from where he frames the doorway to Blair's room; walking in with a blindfold into to the Lionesses' den was not exactly his favourite part of whatever it was that he shared with Blair Waldorf and he wouldn't have been here if Dorota hadn't called him. It was one of the strangest conversations of his lifetime for sure,

_"Mr. Humphrey? Miss Blair in bed, screaming your name again again. I think you should come and see her."_

_"Did you just say Blair was in bed screaming my name?"_

_"Yes, and very loudly too."_

_"Who's put you up to this Dorota? I don't think Blair would play a joke like this. Was it Nate?_

_"I don't joke Mr. Humphrey. Not when Miss Blair angry."_

_"She is ...Angry?"_

_"Yes...That is what I said. In her room for two days, won't eat, won't come out."..._

"It's allyour fault?" she finally looks up, "all of it."

He has been expecting that, hence the initial decision to avoid getting in her path for a few days, but he's also a bit of a romantic and he can't bring himself to see her upset. Oh! Okay, so perhaps 'romantic' was putting it a bit mildly…

"I didn't know about Jenny, Blair," he says with all his sincerity.

Her eyes soften a little, "I know," and just as Dan is about to relax and perhaps approach a little more inside the room, they harden again, "but you thought it was Serena."

Oh! So apparently she had caught that little detail, "I'm sorry?" It's a question because he is still finding it hard to believe that it hadn't been Serena after all. He had been so sure of it.

Blair shakes her head; she can not truly blame him for assuming what she has known first handedly for years. Nate and Serena made sense in so many ways, "It's fine," she says thoughtfully as she rolls over on her stomach and stares at the ceiling for sometime in imperative silence. "Can you believe Serena is engaged?" she says chuckling.

Dan relaxes visibly, "Tell me about it and that too to someone who we have never even met."

"How long do you think it will last?" they both say at the same time and realising that they had just admitted to the little trust they had in Serena's relations they let out a nervous chuckle.

Blair is the first one to stop, "But frankly Humphrey," she says looking somberly at him, "I hope it does last. Everyone deserves a chance at love."

He doesn't know how to respond to that and he is still trying to make up his mind about what to say to her that a) would not offend her in any way and b) would not let his own feelings surface, when she breaks the growing silence in the room, "You were right, " she says so quietly that at first he is sure that he hasn't quite heard her correctly, "you actually were right. I have been using Charlotte for some pitiful selfish reason."

"Wow!" he shakes his head in wonder, "How do those words taste coming from your mouth Waldorf?"

"Like vinegar," she answers dryly and Dan smirks at her; "Well, if it's any consolation to you, I too had a bad day," he tells her.

Blair looks up at him in what he contrives as a concerned look; he isn't sure how the particular expression looks on her but he has seen something familiar on her face a few times before. And sometimes it is directed at him and he sort of likes it. "What happened?" she asks, shifting a little in her bed to form space to her side. It isn't much of a gesture and Dan is hesitant to interpret it any way but one look at her face and he momentarily forgets that he is supposed to be the sensible one. With his heart suddenly speeding up but still a little unsure, he moves forward and takes what he is sure hoping is an invitation. She doesn't immediately push him away and he is okay with that for now; it's a big bed and he is careful to leave ample space between them. Imitating her position, he too turns on his back and stares up at her ceiling, "I went to see Nate today."

Blair doesn't answer but he can hear her mind working and continues before she can jump to any conclusions, "You know, to know what were his intentions regarding Jenny."

He feels her body shake in repressed laughter even though she still remains quiet and awkwardly he continues, "I...I gave him an older brother lecture and guess what he told me?"

"What?" her voice is heavily laced with amusement.

"That if I had been so adamant on throwing my 'cousin' at him, I should not have any trouble with my eighteen year old sister dating him,"

Blair starts laughing, loudly this time and clutches the side of his arm to keep from rolling over. In spite of himself Dan finds himself grinning too.

"Oh God, what a mess," she admits once the giggles have stopped.

"Tell me about it." Dan replies.

"You know," she confesses, "the main reason I did this was because I was bored," she props up on an elbow and looks down at him, "go on, judge away!"

But hadn't he promised her that it wasn't his place to judge so he just raises an eyebrow instead, "_Bored?_ Seriously, Waldorf, don't you get reruns of Seinfeld to cater to that?"

She flops back on the bed and gently nudges her elbow at him, "Oh! Quit being such a pain Humphrey. This entire thing was supposed to be fun. You know, a pet project I didn't have since you started dressing in a way which didn't give me an immediate head ache and Jenny Humphrey went into exile, but it's not fun anymore," she sighs, "Nate not only hates me for meddling but I don't know how to explain any of this to Charlotte."

* * *

"Are you finally convinced that you do need to expand your subscription beyond the New Yorker?"

Startled, Dan looks up. He had been so engrossed in one of her international magazines that he had not heard her come downstairs.

"Blair..." his voice dies in his throat. He has seen her in the most exquisite gown and evening dresses on several occasions before but just the way she looks right now has him fumbling like he has never spoken a full sentence before in his life. Her face is scrubbed clean and he can detect only a very pale shade of lip gloss on her lips. Her hair is loose and frames her heart shaped face in the most delicate of manners and she looks fresh in a pale beige coat over her white dress, the green scarf he had given her for Christmas secured nicely around her neck.

He had never thought that one day he would be blessing the January of New York.

"Humphrey! It's rude to stare." There is a hint of a blush on her cheeks.

"Sorry," he averts his eyes and quickly recovering himself adds, "but you didn't have to dress up to go out on a lunch with me, Waldorf. I would find you beautiful even in your PJ's."

The colour on Blair's cheeks darkens, "Daniel Humphrey, are you flirting with me?"

"Why Miss Waldorf," Dan smirks at her, "whatever gave you that horrid idea?"

She smacks his arm in response and chucking Dan picks up his jacket from the couch, "Let's go."

* * *

It takes a while after his lunch with Blair that Dan finds time to call upon Nate. The meal had run more than its course when the two had ended up arguing over how Blair was being a hypocrite about not wanting to eat in Brooklyn; she had clearly enjoyed her meal the other night but fearing that their conversation would sooner or later run into what else had happened _that _night, it is finally settled upon that Blair could choose a restaurant in Manhattan as long as it was Dan who ordered, and thus the Sole Kebabs and Paprika Schnitzel had won the argument over Rognons A La Dijonnaise. Good thing too, there was no way Dan was ready to have kidneys in the middle of the day. French delicacy or not.

He was now waiting patiently yet again for Nate to stop laughing. He had warned Nate and Serena, who he had found at the Empire as well, that not only what he was about to tell them was supposed to go to their graves with them but that laughter was positively not an option. They had argued that his secret they would keep but laughter was really an involuntary bodily response and they had no control over it.

"Did ...Did you just say you and Blair kissed?" Nate asks between laughter, "man I knew there was something fishy going on between you two."

Dan turns to Serena for her help. The blonde has not yet responded to his sudden declaration and he is a little more insecure about what she thinks about it than how amusing Nate finds it. Serena looks at him squarely and he is slightly relived to see that there is no anger or worse hurt in her eyes. Instead she just looks thoughtful, "Dan," she begins, carelessly stirring her drink as she sits next to him, "who kissed who?"

He is a little startled at the absurdity of the question, even more so because Nate, having recovered from his laughing fit, is actually nodding sagely at the question, "What is that supposed to mean? We kissed each other, that is that."

"No, Dan," Serena explains, "kissing Blair is one thing, being kissed by Blair is a different thing altogether."

"Well, how am I supposed to remember who made the first move?" Dan asks irritably, "there were two mouths fused together, two tongues clashed against each other in a battle of dominance. And we did make it to a cab and there was much in there which the driver should not have seen in the review mirror. Her body was flush against mine and who knows if..."

"Whoa..." Nate interrupts, standing up, "dude, you're a writer. We get it but enough with the unnecessary details."

Dan glares at him but shuts up. It really was a stupid question to ask.

After a tensed silence in which he is trying to understand how to best explain the situation to his two friends and rough fingers have passed his already unkempt hair several times in frustration, he tries," I don't know what the kiss meant. I don't even know what Blair wants out of it but," he looks at each of them seriously, "I do know that I care about her. I wanted to kill Clampton when he hurt her and no offense to you Nate but you would have been on my hit list too if her fancy about you being in love with her had been true."

"Charming, how my love life is the most talked about topic between the two of you." Nate says dryly; he had just been told about the entire Charlotte scheme in all honesty and was still trying to come to terms with how his liaisons had pretty much marked the past week for Blair and Dan.

Dan and Serena ignore him and the latter is looking at Dan in an expression so serious that he can't really place it, "So," she says, "this is not exactly what I had in mind when I told you to look out for Blair."

Dan sighs; there were bigger issues to handle here. If Blair and he ever had a chance, not that he saw much hope of it at the moment, there was still Serena they needed to get a green light from. Funny, how she was engaged to some stranger but they still needed her opinion. He cared about Serena and so did Blair; that was one of the many things he admired about her.

"Does it bother you?" he asks her.

"Are you in love with her?" she asks instead.

He takes in her question and weighs it. Was he in love with Blair? Love as in _love_? Or was he just looking out for her? Being a good friend to her? Hell, who was he kidding, he had been feeding on these feelings for a very long time now.

He answers Serena with another question, "Would it bother you if I answered it in an affirmative?"

Nate grins and after a pregnant pause, Serena smiles too, "I think you just answered me, Dan."

* * *

Meanwhile, Blair decides to do some damage control of her own.

Charlotte's room is a mess to say the least, in fact Blair can hardly see through the film of smoke when she takes a tentative step inside. Coughing against it, she calls out to Charlotte.

"Blair? Oh! Thank God you're here. I was just about to call you."

"Charlotte? What is going on here? Are you burning something?"

"Yes," the silhouette of the girl finally reaches Blair, "yes, I'm burning all my memories with Nate."

Blair takes a double take at her, "What memories?"

Charlotte grabs her hand excitedly, "Come, I'll show you."

With a feeling that tells her that she should not have come here in the first place Blair lets Charlotte lead her to a small metal bucket where a steady flame is glowing.

_Damn Humphrey and his persistence that she should go make things right with Charlotte._

"This," Charlotte says picking up a piece of paper, "is the check for the first meal me and Nate had together."

"You had kept it?" Blair asks incredulously. Seriously, how had she missed that the girl was a psycho case?

"Yes, I did," Charlotte looks at her like how could there be two ways about it, "I also kept this." She picks up a CD, "it had been playing in his room the first time I went to his place."

Blair recognizes it to be from Chuck's collection but she doesn't say a thing, "And what is that?" she asks instead looking at a shiny metallic object in the pile of things on the floor.

"This," Charlotte says picking it up, "was tied to his tie that night."

"You stole his tie clip!"

"Blair," Charlotte sobs, "I wanted a memory. You had told me that Nate was Mr. Right. But now," she picks up the listed things and tosses them into the fire, "I don't want any memories."

And then Charlotte Wilkins starts wailing loudly.

Confused and wishing she was anywhere but here at the moment; Blair places a sympathetic hand on her shoulder, "So I gather you've heard about Jenny Humphrey?"

Charlotte nods, "It's all over Gossip Girl. She is not even pretty, Blair. What does she have that I don't?"

Blair looks at her critically; the blonde dye in her hair has started to fade and a gleam of orange is visible, her mascara is streaming down her eyes and through the thin sheen of white smoke she looks almost scary.

"I have no idea," she lies and is met with another loud round of sobbing. _Where is Dan Humphrey when one most needs him?_

"I...I," Charlotte sobs, "I will never get a guy like him again. Oh! Blair what did I do wrong? Even Tom does not talk to me anymore."

_Tom Sheppard_, Blair sighs. How could she let Charlotte, someone who most of NYU thought to be her friend and some of The UES thought to be her new minion, go back to hippie, tree hugging Tom Sheppard?

So much for the promise she had made Dan that she would never indulge in matchmaking again. This was not just about fun or curing her boredom anymore, it was her civic duty now to save the likes of Charlotte.

Humphrey would have to understand, "Now, now Charlotte, don't cry," she says hesitantly wiping away a tear and quickly cleaning her fingers with the side of her scarf, "Tell me, how much do you know about Chuck Bass?"

* * *

_AN- Hehe…Blair will not learn that easily! Please do review, I love knowing what you guys think._

_On a different note, any Community fans here? I will soon be posting a Community fic soon in case anyone is interested._


	12. Chapter 12

_AN- As always a big thankyou to my beta bsloths for going through this._

* * *

_Good morning Upper East Siders, guess who we saw coming out of Chuck Bass's limo last night? The last we had seen of Charlotte Wilkins had been by the side __of Nate Archibald but by the sight of this picture Meloryrose sent me it seems B's very own protégé has learned to aim higher. My congratulations B, looks like __you have taught well…Let's just hope now that this time it lasts longer than most of C's encounters. _

_X.O.X.O. Gossip Girl_

"Ha!" Blair exclaims triumphantly as she finishes reading the latest blast.

"Ha? Is that your reaction to it? Ha?" Dan looks up from his own phone, "how much of this is your doing Waldorf?"

Blair turns to look at him a little cautiously; she hadn't exactly roped in Dan into her latest plans yet. She stalls for a second before realizing that this really was just Humphrey, "Oh! Relax, will you? I just introduced the two of them. It's not like I have opened a dating agency now, is it?"

Dan shakes his head at her, "I cannot believe this Blair. Hadn't we decided that Charlotte's love life was not ours to play with?"

"How about jogging your memory a bit, Cabbage Patch? You didn't have as many reservations when you were scheming to get her together with Nate."

"First of all, it hasn't been even two weeks since that one blew up on our faces and secondly, yeah, I was on board that time because it was Nate! Give or take a few brain cells that guy is actually nice, but Chuck Bass? What kind of old vengeance do you hold against Charlotte Wilkins?"

Blair narrows her eyes at him; sometimes she just wonders why she stands him anyhow, "Humphrey, will you stop jumping to conclusions. I'm not pushing Charlotte into anything this time."

Dan gives her a skeptic look, "So you said the last time."

"Well, this time I actually mean it. She doesn't even like him. All I have done is opened her choice to more upper class men and nothing serious will come out of it anyway. Chuck isn't the easiest person to like, you know."

"You liked him!" he retorts.

"Yeah, well. I associate with you now. So, it's already been established that I'm certainly not flaw proof."

Dan rubs his temples, "I think I'm getting a headache."

"Don't worry about that. It's not like you use it all that often. Just do as I say and it will all fall in place."

Ignoring the combination of a half smirk-half smile look Blair has seemed to have perfected, he picks up his jacket and heads out of the door.

"Where are you going, Humphrey?"

"To save Charlotte from starring in another sequel of The Blair Witch Project."

* * *

He isn't angry. He doesn't have the energy for it any more. He is … Confused. With the whole Nate-Charlotte thing behind them, him having confessed his feelings to Nate and Serena (even going as far as getting their blessings), he had been thinking that it was finally time for Blair and him to focus on them. He wasn't naïve to think that Blair was in love with him too, but he wasn't that blind either. There was something between them; Blair just didn't want to look at it.

And he had really hoped that now when her head was free of matchmaking ideas she would have the time to take a clearer look at the entire, 'Maybe we're more than friends-we certainly did make out' situation they were in.

Clearly, it was not to happen soon.

The other thing was Charlotte…He just didn't trust Chuck, never had, never would. And whatever hope Blair had out of this couple he was not going to get another girl roped in into another of their games.

"You, don't like him or anything. Do you?"

Charlotte takes a quick sip from her soda before answering, "Who? Chuck. Noooo." She makes a face, "That Gossip Girl blast this morning was misleading. Blair had taken me to this Charity Gala last night and then after introducing me to Chuck, she disappeared. I couldn't get a cab back and Chuck offered to drop me back."

"That's it?" He can't help being skeptic, "Chuck Bass was being _nice_?"

Charlotte nodded, "I thought it was strange too. However, he was very curious about you and Blair?"

Dan looked at her more closely, "What do you mean?"

She shrugged, "You know, what is the nature of your relationship, did Blair spend a lot of time with you. So on and so forth." She let out a little chuckle, "he wanted to know if there was any chance you guys were dating or something."

Dan looked down at his plate, hiding his face with a sudden interest in his fries, "What did you tell him?" he asked quietly.

She shrugged once more, wondering why was he asking her an obvious question, "Why the truth of course? That you and Blair were just friends and that's that." Her eyes widened a little as she thought back, "I was right. Wasn't I?"

Dan looks at her and cracks a smile at the anxiety on her face, "Yes. Yes you were right."

Charlotte sighs, "I knew it. Chuck is hallucinating if he thinks they could be anything going on between Blair Waldorf and you. It's already a big deal that you two have managed to become friends."

He smiles, unable to give an answer in words.

Finishing her food, Charlotte thanks him, "Thank you for lunch Dan. I had no idea I was craving a cheeseburger. All the fancy food Blair forces you to eat gets to you after some time."

Dan laughs, "I know exactly what you mean," he smiled pleasantly at her, "and you're welcome," he said, laying an affectionate hand on hers.

And as dumb and oblivious as Dan Humphrey can be at times he completely misses the shy smile Charlotte throws at him.

* * *

It's only in the evening that Blair gets a chance to get out of her penthouse. She had left the NYU dormitory sometime before, preferring instead to get back to the familiarity of her space and Dorota. There was also the constant worry of running into Dan Humphrey. She wasn't avoiding him, not as a rule at least. She just didn't think it was necessary that she must face the disappointed look he gets in his eyes when he sees her.

It bothers her. Angers her, of course, because he really has no right to judge her, question her motives or make her into some sort of villain when she's only trying to help. But it also hurts her a bit. She really hadn't tried to force Chuck and Charlotte together. Yes, it's convenient but she was done with match making.

As such.

It wouldn't hurt though if Charlotte figured out the way into the inner Upper East Side Circle on her own. Of course a tiny little shove from Blair's side would be necessary to get her over the threshold. Frankly, as far as she was concerned Dan Humphrey was overreacting as per usual. She was only helping Charlotte keep her eyes open. Really.

Introducing her to Chuck had been easy. Since their break up, the two had fallen back into a mutually beneficial friendship where they admired and often helped the other with their plans for world dominion. It wasn't easy, considering it had been but a year back that they had professed their love for each other, But that boat had since sailed away. Now, she knew exactly what made Chuck Bass tick. And as far as women were concerned, Chuck Bass's type was limited to the combination of XY chromosome.

But even she had been surprised by how easily Chuck had fallen into a conversation with Charlotte. Mostly, he would be suspicious if Blair was the one introducing him to another woman, but he had seemed enthusiastic even by his standards. She had last seen them drinking and talking together at the bar when she had quietly slipped out of the charity function. Perhaps there was hope for Chuck Bass and Charlotte Wilkins after all.  
It's with these thoughts that she enters the dorm room of Charlotte and is satisfied to see her in a very happy mood, "Well, someone is jovial today," she comments on entering.

Charlotte grins and Blair takes a surprised step back. The girl looks different, like nice different. Like I could be in love and could not keep it a secret different. Her hair was back to its orange and she wore it in a nice braid and the cream of her flowy dress (the kind Blair would never wear herself but did wonders for Charlottes' blossoming figure) only made the look more subtle.

"You look…different." Because the fact that she is presently surprised does not mean she is about to shower any one with compliments, "your hair…"

"Back to fiery red, I know…" Charlotte tells her but offers no further explanation. It's only when Blair throws a withering glare at her, because she never did have a thing for silly coyness that Charlotte answers, "someone told me that he prefers me the way I am."

Blair raises an eyebrow, "_He_? Would I know this certain someone?"

Charlotte blushes, "You do. Very well in fact."

The brunette hides back a triumphant smile; apparently the thing with Chuck had gone better than she had anticipated. Even though she was a little surprised that Chuck had actually told her something like that, "So tell me more. What else have you and this certain someone have been up to?"

"Don't you want me to tell you who he is?"

Blair shakes her head, "Let's not jinx it. The last time we mentioned a man's name Jenny Humphrey came and ruined it all. I know who it is and I'm very happy to tell you that even though I had promised myself I would not fix up anyone anymore, you have my full blessings."

Charlotte throws her arms around her and Blair has to detangle herself with a bit of distaste, "Oh! Thank you so much Blair. I thought you would not approve."

Blair takes two careful steps back, "Approve? Why would I not approve of such a match?"

Charlotte nods, "He really is nice. Very attentive."

Blair keeps her sarcasm at check, "I'm sure he is. So tell me what all have you been two up to."

And Charlotte explains her how they had gone for lunch and how he had held her hand through it all.

"Held you hand?" Chuck had never done anything like that with her. To come to think of it they had never gone out a lunch date before either. It was always food at the Empire, mostly in bed if they did not have the energy to get out of it. She feels a twinge of jealously as Charlotte continues, "Oh! Blair, he is just so nice. I think I could be in love with him."

Blair sighs, if this was true then she should better prepare herself for a Dan Humphrey lecture on non-interference and letting people be and so and so forth. She was also afraid that it would start with something like I-told-you-so. It was not going to be pretty. She would get defensive, he would get angry and they wouldn't speak to each other for sometime more.

She didn't know why it bothered her so much.

Getting over her dilemma, she goes back to more important matters at hand and she advices Charlotte that it was now necessary that she observe the man in question's behavior with utmost attention and then they would know how to plan their next move.

* * *

A week passes and she pointedly ignores Humphrey for the most of it. The only class they share is Rick's and there are more important things to do in there (like look at the two timing bastard straight in the eye till he squirms) that she does not have the time to deal with Humphrey.

It crosses her mind though that there is something missing about her day when she doesn't talk to him. She later concludes it to be her missing the coffee Humphrey brought for her each morning. She makes Dorota run coffee errands each morning after that.

She makes it a point to meet Charlotte every other day though. Gossip Girl has been unusually quiet about the whole thing and she needs the Chuck-Charlotte details from the horse's mouth itself.

"Well…Well. Have the two of you made it to the bedroom yet?"

Charlotte blushes; "No" she says quickly, "he's too much of a gentleman to rush things."

Blair stares at her agape, "You've got to be kidding me."

Charlotte gives her a surprised look, "Why do you sound so surprised? It's only been three dates."

_Three_ dates. She had just met Chuck the other day and he had not as much as mentioned Charlotte. This was getting more and more absurd by the minute.

"Uh…So what all have you guys been doing?"

Charlotte grins happily and the flush on her cheek was getting redder and more irritating by the minute, "Well, there was this lunch and then we went the other day for a movie. He even took me down to Brooklyn to some art shows."

Blair almost has a heart attack, "And you mean to say that in the midst of this you haven't had sex."

Charlotte finally looses a bit of the Cheshire grin, "Now that you mention it, it does sound strange. We haven't even kissed yet. But I guess he's too sweet to want to sleep with a girl on the third date."

She obviously hadn't heard the girl right, "You mean Chuck. And Chuck is exactly the type to want to sleep with you on the first date. Actually he doesn't even wait for it to be a date."

"I'm sure. But why would I be interested in Chuck Bass's sexual routines?"

Blair takes a seat, takes two quick breaths and looks at the girl in front calmly, "You have been dating Chuck Bass haven't you?"

There is a gasp and then a giggle from the other girl, "Chuck Bass? Whatever gave you that idea B? I'm talking about Dan."

Blair is glad she is sitting down, "Dan Humphrey?" she manages.

Charlotte laughs again and explains in detail how Dan had been the best company the past week. And Blair realizes that this is what he had been doing while she had been ignoring him. And there she had been thinking that he would have been miserable without her. A bit like she had been feeling.

"So," she questions, curbing the sudden anger down to minimum, "is it official then?"

Dan and Charlotte. Charlotte and Dan. It makes her sick. She cannot believe Dan was such a hypocrite. All this time he had been warning her not to attach Charlotte with anyone and it had been only because he had wanted her for himself.

"Well…" Charlotte pauses, "he hasn't really said anything. But I'm sure he likes me too. Don't you remember how he had been the one to dance with me the night nobody had wanted to?"

Blair remembers. She had thanked him that night for looking out for Charlotte. How was she to know?

She excuses herself after a while, saying that she did not feel too good. Charlotte stops her, "B? what's wrong? You don't look happy."

Blair declines. Of course she was happy. She makes a move to go and then something makes her stop, turning around she looks at Charlotte, "Are you sure? Dan Humphrey is a bit too Brooklyn for Mr. Right. "

"Oh! C'mon Blair, how can you say that? He is your friend now?"

"Yeah." She says softly, "Yeah. He is."

But Charlotte is not assured. She looks at her friend intently and asks if she thought Dan was only playing with her, "You're close. You would know." She goes as much as to say that she would not have presumed to think of it first herself had it not been for Blair herself who had advised her to observe him carefully and for all it had only strengthened her earlier belief that Dan did like her.

The bitter feelings occasioned by this speech, the many bitter feelings, made the utmost exertion necessary on Blair's side, to enable her to say on reply, "Charlotte, I will only venture to declare, that Humphrey is the last man in the world, who would intentionally give any woman the idea of his feelings for her more than he really does."

Charlotte seems ready to worship her friend for a sentence so satisfactory, and Blair was only saved from raptures and fondness, which at the moment would have been a dreadful pain, by the sound of her phone ringing. It was Dorota and she needed to go home to decide which dress to send for dry cleaning.

She leaves the campus bewildered and confused. When and how had this happened? And why on earth did she feel so rotten about it?  
Not in the mood to go home she makes her way to a coffee shop. It is only when she had seated herself at a place which she recognizes does she remember that she had come here before with Humphrey. The coffee tastes heavenly and she assumes that this is where Dan used to get her coffee from. She approves of his taste.

Only in caffeinated beverages though.

It's with a feeling of losing something that she remembers the day they had spent together during the play. They had talked movies, theater, art and books and she had never held more lively conversations with anyone.

She had never felt more alive.

She remembers their first kiss during rehearsals, she remembers that night in Brooklyn and the look in his eyes when she had told him to go back. She remembers his concern about dating a professor. And she isn't a fool to not know that the two had had a brawl regarding literature. He was looking out for her. He was always looking out for her.

Oh! Had she not bought Charlotte forward! Had she left her where she ought, and where he had told her he ought! Things would have been different today. She was sure of it. She and Dan would not have been as distant as they had been lately.

How had she been so blind?

With sudden tears springing to her eyes, Blair pays for her coffee and makes her way out. Her heart pounding, her head confused.

And it is like someone has left a colorful fountain open that it finally dawns on her. She knows now, had suspected a bit for sometime but had been to vain to give it much thought.

She was in love with Dan Humphrey.

And there was nothing she could do about it now.

* * *

_AN- I hope you liked it. Please do review!_


	13. Chapter 13

_AN-This is the last chapter of this story, though I will have a short epilogue posted soon. The ending pretty much follows the scene from Emma itself, so I hope the Austen fans will finally forgive me for diverging away from her book so much._

_As always none of this would have been possible without the help of bsloths. Thank you!_

* * *

Her first move is to Chuck's.

"How could you do this to me?"

Still in his satin robes, he looks up with interest in his eyes, "To what do I owe the pleasure, Blair?"

"You rejected Charlotte!"

"I wasn't aware that I was supposed to be interested in your newest minion," his voice is characteristically soft and husky and she just about hates the coolness of it all. Can't he see she is distressed? "You were supposed to seduce her, which I thought you were good at but no! Instead you choose her of all people to show your new found gentleman side to."

Chuck gets up from his position on the couch and the entire luxury of his slow pace as he refills his glass of scotch only drives her madder. Can he not see she is in 'mode anxious' at the moment? It had been not more than seventy two hours since Blair had come to the biggest revelation of her life and each second of those many hours had bought her closer to banging her head to the wall…Any wall and take in a voluntary admission into a mental institution as well.

Not only is she in love with Dan Humphrey, which doesn't scare her as much as it should, but she had realized it the day she came to know that he had probably fallen in love with a watered down version of Serena and herself, she had created herself. It is moments like this where she can truly find herself relating to Frankenstein.

And Chuck Bass was partially responsible for all of it, "Well, don't you have anything to say for yourself?"

"I'm still trying to gather what it is that is bothering you Blair."

She takes off her gloves and sits down on his couch, "You were supposed to date Charlotte Wilkins for a while. Not play nice to her and unleash her on Daniel Humphrey instead."

"Ah!" Chuck meets her eyes over the rim of his glass, "so that is your problem. Although I would admit that Brooklyn and that pity thing you picked up at NYU probably look good together. One must always stick to their kind, you know."

Blair only sighs in exasperation and that makes Chuck look at her with a slightly softer tone, "I'm sorry that my tastes do not fall that low Blair."

She scoffs, "You don't have a taste Chuck. You would sleep with the entire continent of America and beyond if you could."

He chuckles slightly but sobers up instantly, "Strange but I would never have said the same thing for you… Until now."

She turns to look at him sharply, "What are you talking about?"

_"Humdrum Humphrey_, Blair? That is what your problem is. This isn't about Charlotte and me. This is about _your_ feelings for Humphrey."

Blair stills in her seat. Somehow hearing the admission come from someone else lent finality to the entire thing. She's no stranger to unrequited love and its pain. Being friends with Serena had made her fully equipped with having boys she likes like Serena instead. Nate Archibald was perhaps the biggest example of it all. But she had handled that well, ultimately when it had come down to it she had handled it well. Had reconciled with Serena for sleeping with her boyfriend and had even parted with Nate as friends. In fact, she was also the biggest fan of them getting together.

But this felt different. Her feelings for Humphrey seem more …Mature. True, she had only come to realize them when she knew that she had probably lost him for good which to many would see as a sign of an over blown tantrum more than anything else, but she knew that nobody made her feel the way Humphrey did. It was a feeling which hadn't come to her all of a sudden either. It had been slowly been building for some time now. –Serena being the only thing stopping her from responding to the look she sometimes caught in his eyes. But Serena was engaged now…

But none of it mattered now. If she hadn't lost it to Serena then she had lost it to Charlotte Wilkins. She cringed at the idea; at least Serena was a worthy opponent.

She looks up at Chuck, who is still waiting for her response. With tears suddenly springing to her eyes, she gets up and walks out, "It's too late."

* * *

It has been three days since he has heard from her or about her. She hasn't been to any of her classes, his calls were clearly being screened. Dorota was not allowed to let him come to the penthouse and even Charlotte hadn't heard from her.

They had fought before, but such isolation had never been a problem earlier. And he misses her, God he misses her so _damn _much. He had made conciliation with the fact that chances of them ever being anything more than friends were slim to say the least. Not, until she realized that she did not need to run other people's lives to find her own footing. That for once, it would do her good to focus on her own love life instead of trying to evolve others. She needed to see that she could not make replicas of herself or Serena for that matter, that there was just one Blair Waldorf and that really was enough. And he would patiently wait for her to get to that point. For as long as it would take.

Meanwhile though Dan just misses his friend.

Serena looks at him sympathetically and beside him he can feel Nate awkwardly look anywhere but at him.

"What?" he asks irritably, "what did I do now?"

Serena sighs, "Dan, you look a little ill."

"I'm perfectly alright though."

"What she means bro is that you look like shit, I'm actually having trouble looking at you without laughing," Nate admits. "Did you know that your shirt is on backwards?"

Dan looks down. Nate was right, "Have the two of you come to NYU just to tell me that I have no fashion sense? I'd like to remind you that I already have Blair monitoring that bit."

Nate sips his coffee bemusedly, "That is another reason why we're here," he looks at Serena before continuing, "Blair has been avoiding us."

"You too?" Dan is unable to stop himself from asking, "Phones screened? Dorota in her Terminator avatar as soon as you try crossing the elevator?"

The two nod at him and somewhat satisfied that he's not the only one being given the cold treatment, Dan visibly relaxes, "But what can I do about it?"

Serena speaks first tells him that she needed to speak to Blair to plan her engagement party and that Nate needed to speak with her so that she could revoke the exile she had placed on Jenny, "Long distance is cramping my

style."

Dan ignores Nate at that comment-He really doesn't want to know what style he is talking about- as Serena continues to explain, "We believe Blair's acting strange has something to do with you."

At the nonplussed look on Dan's face she takes out her cell phone and replays a message left by Blair two days earlier-

_"S-I'm going under hibernation for the rest of winter and summer if necessary. Will explain later. Tell Nate to take care and tell Dan…Tell Humphrey to go to hell."_

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"Wow!" Dan reels back into his chair, "she sure is pissed with me."

"What is it that you did, dude?"

"No clue," Dan shakes his head, "I have no freaking clue."

"You really have to make up to her though," Serena offers, "I cannot plan an engagement party without her…"

"And I cannot have…" Nate interrupts but shuts up when Dan throws him a pointed look.

"I don't know what to do guys. She won't even talk to me."

"Have you told her about how you feel?" Serena asks.

"Love broadcast isn't exactly the easiest thing to do when she won't even say Hello" Dan replies dryly.

"Perhaps, you should gift her something shiny." Nate offers, "It worked each time when she was ever pissed with me."

Both Dan and Serena decline his idea. And after a few more suggestions involving every Audrey Hepburn movie ever made, Nate pipes up another one, "I know, you need to make out with her!"

At the strange looks thrown at him, he shrugs, "It always works. There is this spot on her neck, nuzzle it right and she'll forget why she was angry."

Dan sighs, tired, "As much as it pleases me to know that the dysfunctional relation of our group can help us loan such intimate details to each other, the fact remains that Blair doesn't want to see me. And even though I don't know what and why, I need to make up for it. But for that I need to talk to her. Just _talk_" he looks at Serena, "before I dedicate a love sonnet to her or," he looks at Nate, "take you up on your sex tips."

"For once, I'll actually agree with you Daniel."

They all turn around to see Chuck Bass, looking absolutely out of place in his Navy Blue suit in a NYU café, "I do think that you need to talk to her."With a look of disgust he pulls out a chair for himself beside Nate and sits down, "She came to see me this morning." He explains and Dan feels himself stiffen-_If all this has anything to with Chuck Bass…_

"You're definitely bothering her Daniel and as much as I hate you, I love Blair more. So I suggest you make things right. Fast."

Dan passes a frustrated hand through his already rumpled hair, "If you haven't noticed Chuck. That's exactly what we're brainstorming here. She doesn't even want to see me, let alone talk."

Chuck looks at him, "I just had a source tell me that she left for the MET sans Dorota about fifteen minutes ago, if you make it fast, you just might be able to catch her."

Unsure of what to say, Dan just stammers, "Chuck, I...I"

"Get Lost Daniel before I change my mind."

Without another thought Dan rushes out if the coffee shop even as he hears Nate call behind him, "You might want t change that shirt though. People still remember Olivia's story on national television."

Serena's voice follows through, "And shave if you can."

* * *

He finds her sitting on the steps she often sits on, "Go, Humphrey. I'm not in the mood."

"How about you tell me why you have been avoiding me before you issue a restraining order."

She scowls at him, "Spare yourself the satisfaction. I have been avoiding everyone."

"Why?"

"Well, can't a girl get some privacy around here. I'm in hibernation. I'd like to remain that way."

"Nate and Serena are worried about you; they also have some things they want to discuss with you."

"And they paid you for your messenger skills?"

Dan takes a seat next to her, "Blair, talk to me.'

She sighs; she has nothing to say to him. She is not going to confess to anything only to have him tell her that he preferred Charlotte instead. She has more pride than that. Why did love have to suck so much, "I have nothing to say to you Humphrey. Now, are you leaving or should I go?"

When he doesn't make a move to leave, she gets up, "Good bye Humphrey."

"Blair!"

She doesn't stop.

"Blair! At least listen to what I have to say."

She stops. He was going to tell her. God, he was going to tell her that he was in love with Charlotte. He is possibly going to thank her for bringing her to his life. No, she doesn't think she has it in herself to hear any of it. Slowly she turns around, "Dan," she begins, "Please don't."

"Why Blair? Why will you not let me tell you how I feel?"

"Oh please don't speak it, don't say it," she cries eagerly. "Take a little time, consider, do not commit yourself."

"Thank you," says Dan, hurt, confused and deeply mortified and not another syllable follows.

Blair cannot bear to give him pain. He was wishing to confide in her-perhaps to consult her; cost her what it would she would listen, "No. I didn't mean it that way. I'm your friend and I shall listen. I will hear whatever you like. I will tell you exactly what I think."

"A friend," repeated Dan, "indeed." He stopped suddenly and took hesitant step towards her, "I do not want to be a friend to you Blair. I'm a little tired of being a friend to you."

"Dan?"

"No, listen to me. I have stood by you for two years now. I have seen you recover from Chuck to fall for Richard Clampton to decide that you were better of settling other people's lives than your own. I have stayed right there when you fancied Nate to be in love with you. I have stood by it all." He looked at her earnestly, "But I'm tired now Blair. I don't want to see you with anyone. I want you to see _me._" He pauses and in a swell of emotion blurts out, "I love you, Blair._"_ He stops in his earnestness and the expression in his eyes overpowers her.

"You didn't say anything," she says quietly, finding her voice back.

His laugh is hollow, "Strangely for a writer, I cannot make speeches when it matters the most, perhaps if I had loved you any less, I would have been able to talk about it more."

While he speaks, Blair's mind is most busy to catch and comprehend the exact truth of the whole situation. To see that the Charlotte's hopes had been entirely groundless. Could this be true? Dan was in love with her, not Charlotte, not Serena …_Her._

"Will you not say anything?" Dan asks after a moment.

Blair beams up at him, and slowly climbing the two steps that separate them, reaches him, "I don't think I have words."

And then she kisses him.

* * *

_AN-Finally, something I began so long ago (May 2010!) is (almost) over. Epilogue coming up soon._

_I hope you all liked it and thank you so much for sticking by it for so long. Please please review.  
_


	14. Epilogue

_AN-Thank you anyone who has ever read this story. It's finally over._

* * *

Nate is the first one to propose it and although initially everyone is absolutely against the idea, soon enough more and more money keeps pouring in and the bets keep getting higher.

"I'll wager for another five hundred dollars," Blair says looking over at Serena and Ben, "I don't think it would last another week."

"Tich," Nate makes a sound with his tongue. "You give the former felon and Serena a little too much credit. Three days max."

"You do realize how inappropriate it is to do this during their engagement party," Dan offers and is suitable ignored too.

Sighing, he shifts his attention from his two friends and focuses on the couple of the evening instead. Serena and Ben seem to be in some kind of an argument. Ben looks confused while Serena has her hands flailing in every direction. It didn't look pretty. Maybe Blair and Nate knew what they were talking about after all.

"That's silly Nathaniel. Serena would not be able to handle it for another two days." Dan is surprised to find Chuck a party too it as well.

And even more surprised when Eric throws in a few bills as well, "I know my sister the best. The engagement will be off by tomorrow.

Jenny looks at Dan, "Why? Dan, don't you have something to say as well."

He shakes his head and looking at where he can't see Serena anymore and Ben seems to be down to his third drink, says, "I really do hate being a part of something so improper, but I have a feeling it's already off. Serena just left the party."

* * *

"You actually called it off!" Blair all but laughs out loud, "Really S, what a time to get your epiphany on self exploration. Could you not do this before accepting the poor man's ring?"

"Oh! Relax, Blair," Serena takes a direct swig from a vodka bottle, "The engagement is off. Not the party. Have fun."

Blair sighs, "Not have I lost a perfectly easy bet, but I actually feel sorry for her," she says shifting closer to Dan and resting her tired eyes against his warm shoulder.

"Oh! _Oh._" He says with a panic to his voice, "I don't like the sound of that."

"What? Why?"

"Waldorf," he says excusing himself a little from her so that he can look at her in the eye, "lately whenever you have felt sorry for anyone it has inevitablly led to you fixing them up with someone. It's not a good sign."

"Strange you should say that Humphrey. I felt sorry for _you_ and look who you got fixed up with! It's not all that bad"

"Cute." He smiles at her and when she returns the gesture he is unable to stop himself from lowering his head and kissing her soundly.

Nate grins at them, Serena tells them to get a room and Jenny almost barfs. Chuck just avoids looking at them.

Later, when they have finally managed to get a very drunk Serena finally into bed, Dan tells her, "There is something you should know…I"

"You agree that Serena needs some stability in life? And we really should find her someone. Someone preferably without a criminal record, someone who isn't married and or a professor at the university either? Right?"

"No, I mean yes. She needs some stability but this isn't about her. This is about NYU."

"Rick Clampton got hit by a bus?" She asks hopefully.

Dan chuckles, "No. I wish. But we still have that awful essay due on Monday. No, this is about Charlotte."

"Charlotte?" Blair's voice becomes smaller, "What about her?"

"Promise not to freak out?" He asks gently.

"Okay," Blair nods, already freaking out a bit.

"I ran into her and Tom Sheppard yesterday. Apparently they are back together"

Blair stills a minute and then gets busy with fiddling with the covers on her bed. Her mind is running a mile a minute as she buys time to contemplate how she actually feels about this news.

Relief…she feels relief. She had been avoiding that girl for some time. A part of her, the part which had grown in the months she had spent with Dan, had felt guilty about using Charlotte the way she had. And she knew that the red haired was at no real fault. Other than just being really dumb but if she had finally made this choice, then Blair decides that she actually feels happy for her.

"Waldorf?"

"Well," she finally looks at Dan, "if she really wants to be with a guy who has self allotted himself to the cause of conserving water by not bathing then all I must do is call her up and congratulate her on her choice.'

"You mean it?" he asks her, knowing full well what she meant.

"Yes, Humphrey. I mean it. Good for her.'

Dan grins at her, "Have I told you how much I love you?"

She smiles back, snaking her arms around him and sneaking in a kiss, "I may never get tired of you repeating it Cabbage Patch.'

"Actually it's Dan…" he says smiling against her lips.

* * *

_AN-Let me know what you think of the epilogue._


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